


Waiting

by Windchimed



Category: Divergent Series - Veronica Roth
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-21
Updated: 2015-07-21
Packaged: 2018-03-25 01:27:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 28,780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3791503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Windchimed/pseuds/Windchimed
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Inspired by Milner's "The First Time" story, this is a modern-day short story about Tris and Tobias meeting for the first time.  M rated.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1: Waiting

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The First Time](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/108370) by Milner. 



> This story was inspired by Milner's new "The First Time" story, which is a "bunch of one shots done for fun on the different ways Tris and Tobias could possibly meet in the modern day." Thank you very much, Milner, for the idea and for giving me permission to borrow it for this short story!
> 
> Thank you also to BK2U, who kindly beta-read this story for me!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own the "Divergent" series or the characters that came from it. Those belong to Veronica Roth.

**Waiting **

Tobias curses silently when he enters the Department of Motor Vehicles and sees the crowd of people packed into the waiting area. He swore to himself that he wouldn't leave his license renewal until the last minute this time, but here he is on the final business day of the month, in the same boat as everyone else whose right to drive expires at midnight. Judging by the number of people here, half the city falls into that category.

It takes a solid ten minutes for him to navigate through the mass of people to the giant sign that reads, "Start here." It's only that fast because he turns on his self-defense-instructor body language, giving him an intimidating presence that most people scramble to avoid. He almost never takes advantage of being tall and well-muscled this way, but if he doesn't get his license renewed today, he's going to have a problem getting to work tomorrow.

He finally reaches the machine that dispenses numbers, tugging the next strip of paper from it and glancing at his number. Nine hundred and five. His eyes shift to the nearest announcement board, seeing what numbers are currently being served, and something sinks inside him when he sees that they all start with three. This is going to be a _long_ day.

"Hey, that one's mine," an insistent voice says right beside him, and he looks down, startled to realize that a young woman is glaring at him. He didn't notice her earlier, but judging by the expression on her face, and the way she's pointing at the paper in his hand, she must have been reaching for a number at the same time he was – and is annoyed that he beat her to the machine.

"I'm sorry," he says, a little taken aback by the ferocity in her gray-blue eyes. "I didn't see you there."

She raises a skeptical eyebrow. "I'm not _that_ short."

He can feel the red going up his cheeks in response, and suddenly he's all too aware of how he just pushed his way through the crowd. It probably took this five-foot-nothing blond a whole lot longer to get here.

"I don't know how I missed you," he mutters apologetically, "but here." He extends his slip of paper toward her. "Let's just trade tickets." Glancing at the boards again, he adds, "It's not like either of us will be getting out of here soon anyway."

She considers that for a moment before taking the paper that he's offering and handing him hers instead. "You have a point," she sighs.

He gives a wry smile. "Yeah, we'll be lucky to be called by the end of the day. And there's probably nowhere to sit, either."

Her gaze wanders up his six-foot-two-inch frame for a moment, and the corner of her mouth twitches in amusement. "You tell me. If there are any empty seats, you'll see them long before I do. You know, from Mount Olympus."

He looks down at her, chuckling a little at the comment as his deep blue eyes meet her lighter ones. He can't remember ever being in a crowd like this when he was her height, surrounded by people who block her view. He was always the tallest in his class growing up, and he was probably twelve when he reached this woman's height. That time isn't pleasant to think about, though, when he was still raw from losing his mother and still living in terror of his father, so he pushes the memory away.

Instead, he makes a point of standing on tiptoes and looking around the room in an exaggerated fashion, even going so far as to place his hand over his eyes like he's trying to shade them from the sun and see far into the distance. Beside him, he hears the young woman laugh.

"Spot anything, matey?" she asks, donning a decent pirate accent.

"Now you're just mixing your metaphors," he quips in response, still looking around the room, though he has to admit that his focus is definitely more on the slight figure in the corner of his eye. "Make up your mind. Am I in ancient Greece or a seventeenth century ocean?"

"Definitely a Greek god," he hears her mutter, and he can't quite stop the smirk that tugs his lips upwards, even if he decides it's better to pretend he didn't catch that particular remark.

"Well, either way," he tells her as he finishes his attempt to scan the room, "I can't see nearly as well from up here as you think I can. I'm not _that_ tall." And it's true; there are simply too many people in the way for him to see if there are any unoccupied seats.

Dropping to the balls of his feet again, he returns his gaze to the petite blond beside him, adding, "But it's a safe bet that we'll have to stand for a while." Something about her intrigues him. Perhaps it's the energy and intelligence flashing in her eyes, or the spirited way she stood up for herself when he took her number, but he has no desire to move away from her to wait anywhere else.

"I'm Tobias, by the way." He extends his hand, figuring he may as well do this right.

She cocks her head, evaluating him for a moment before giving him a firm handshake. "I know."

It's definitely not the response he expected, and he narrows his eyes, thinking hard about where he might have seen her – and how he could possibly have not noticed her. There's a confidence in her body language that hints at martial arts training, though she certainly was never a student of his.

She grins at his confusion. "I take classes with Amar, right before your session. He's mentioned you a few times." There's a hint of red on her face that tells him there was probably a reason that his former instructor mentioned him. Amar has tried several times to set him up on dates. They've never worked out, but he wouldn't object to this particular effort….

"Though he called you Four." She looks at him questioningly, and he nods in confirmation. No one outside of the gym calls him that, but it's become his standard name there.

"He gave me that nickname." He doesn't add the reason why, since it would sound too much like bragging, but as far as he knows, he's still the only student Amar has ever had break through four boards at once with a hand strike. Instead, he says, "He's a good guy. How long have you been taking his classes?"

"Just over six months. I'm finally a yellow belt." She gives a wry smile that indicates she knows full well he's ranked considerably above that, before she adds, "I'm Tris."

"It's nice to meet you, Tris." For a change, he means those words.

They spend the next two hours chatting amiably as the crowd slowly thins and the numbers on the boards creep into the six-hundreds. She learns that he works as a computer programmer in addition to teaching self-defense, and he discovers that she's an advocate with a non-profit that helps the homeless, approaching businesses to seek out donations and organizing outreach programs.

And they subtly navigate the topic of significant others, neither hiding their relief well at learning that the other is single.

Eventually, they take to practicing some of the blocks and self-defense techniques that Tris has been struggling to learn – an approach that causes people to clear nicely out of their way, leaving the two of them with a semi-private patch of wall to lean on and a few feet of space in front of it for movement.

But gradually the desire to sit becomes dominant, after spending this long standing on a concrete floor.

"You really can't see well from that height?" Tris asks somewhat doubtfully. "I always thought that people like you could see anything, whereas all I ever get to do is stare at everyone's back."

He crouches down to her height, looking around and trying to see her perspective.

"Yeah, that kind of sucks," he admits after a moment, laughing when she smacks his arm in reaction. "But no, I mostly see the tops of people's heads, not what's beyond them."

She looks vaguely disappointed, and he finds himself evaluating her again, as he's done so many times today, wanting to come up with a way to remove that disappointment. A sly smile creeps over his face when an idea occurs to him.

"On the other hand," he says a bit suggestively, "if I were to boost you up, I bet you could see the whole room…."

She stares, clearly more than a little uncertain about the idea, and for a long moment he's sure he's gone too far. But then she grins. "Oh, what the hell. I've always wanted to climb Mount Olympus."

It's a great line, and he laughs again as he crouches down in front of her, not quite able to believe that he's doing this. "Climb onto my shoulders."

She does, struggling to get into position – and then to stay balanced – her hands grasping at his short, dark hair in a desperate attempt to avoid falling. "Not the hair," he says quickly, wincing in pain. There's a reason he always teaches his students to go for that particular weakness if someone is attacking them. It hurts.

"Here," he tells her, holding his hands up so she can clasp them. It's not the first time they've touched today, with all the karate practice, but this feels much more intimate, with her legs wrapped around his neck, and her scent wafting to him, and he feels an unusual sort of nervous energy going through him as their fingers twine together. Amar was definitely right if he was getting ready to set them up.

He rises carefully to his feet, smiling as he realizes how far above the crowd Tris now towers. Looking up, he can see her grinning. Clearly, she's enjoying the height.

The people nearest them stare, startled at this latest antic, as they back away even farther. The two of them certainly seem to be good at making space in a crowd.

"Wow, this is a _great_ view," Tris calls down to him, shifting her position as she gazes around the room. "I could get used to this." Her scent fills the air more strongly with the movement, and he privately admits that he could handle this on a regular basis, too. She smells _good_.

"All right," she adds, leaning down so he can hear her better over the noise of the crowd. Her breath tickles his ear, and his own catches in response. "There is a large group of seats that way." She points. "They're all taken right now, but we can wait over there if you want."

He likes that she uses that particular pronoun, and he doesn't hesitate to start walking in that direction, still carrying her on his shoulders. It proves to be a very effective way to part the crowd, and they reach the area in what must be record time.

More people scatter as he swings her down right in front of the group of seats. She laughs at the motion, her hair a bit wild as she lands, his hands steadying her while she regains her balance. It takes a moment longer for him to let go, lost in the energy emanating from her suddenly-blue eyes. They are _definitely_ going on a date after this.

* * *

By the time four o'clock rolls around, Tobias is starting to wonder if their numbers will be called before the place closes for the day. The boards are now into the eight-hundreds, but they're not exactly climbing at the speed of light.

Not that it would be bad to spend another day here with Tris…. The two of them are finally sitting, and she's currently leaning against his shoulder with her eyes closed. He can't help watching her, enjoying the way her dirty blond hair reflects different colors in the light, the strands falling over her narrow face in a way that makes him want to push them back to see her better. He can't remember the last time he was this drawn to someone.

Idly, he takes his driver's license out, flipping it edge-to-edge as he debates how to get another day off tomorrow if he can't renew this today. "Tobias Eaton," he hears Tris say softly beside him, and he realizes that she's reading the card as he flips it around. "861 Dauntless Place, Apartment 10." She smiles. "I'll remember that."

"Good." He meets her gaze evenly. "You're welcome to visit." There's no way to miss the flush that rises up her face at that, or the way she shifts slightly away from him – nervously. He decides to change the subject. "I just hope my photo is better this time."

She sits up straighter, taking the license from him and examining it. "Oh, that's terrible." She giggles. "Seriously, how did someone like _you_ manage to look that bad?"

He grins, more at her comment about his real appearance than the one about the photo. But he answers her question anyway. "I might or might not have pissed off the person taking the picture."

She nods solemnly. "Rarely a good idea." With that, she reaches into her small purse, pulling out a wallet and handing Tobias her own license. "As I can attest to."

He takes in the image silently for a moment, looking at Tris' head cocked unevenly and one eye looking wild as the light reflects off it. Add in the way her hair is tugged out of its ponytail in only one particular spot, and it has to be the single worst driver's license picture he's ever seen.

"Gorgeous," he says, straight-faced, as he hands it back to her. "Beatrice Prior, 406 Abnegation Way, Apartment 46." He holds her gaze again as he adds, "I'll remember that."

He can actually see the nerves giving way as she answers. "Good. You're welcome to visit."

* * *

By some miracle, they both get their licenses renewed just before the place closes for the day. Tobias adjusts Tris' hair for her before she gets her photo, and she makes a point of smoothing his out, though they both know it's too short to need the help.

They grin at each other's photos as they walk out, side-by-side. "I used to have a hard time figuring out how to list my eye color," Tris comments, "because it changes with my mood. But now I always put it down as gray."

"Why is that?" Tobias asks, knowing full well that he's biting at the bait she's dangling but having no objection to doing so.

"Well, I explained my predicament to one of the workers here one time. I said that my eyes tend to be blue when I'm happy and gray when I'm sad, and she told me to put down gray." Her lips tug up as she adds, "Because if I'm ever pulled over, they'll be gray."

He laughs, putting his license away and holding the door of the building open for her. It's surprisingly dark out, and he looks up at the storm clouds that are building overhead, vaguely wishing he'd brought an umbrella. At least it's warm, so if he does get rained on, it won't be the end of the world.

"So, since I happen to live near here," he begins, feeling a bit nervous now that it's time to transition to what he hopes will come next, "I'm familiar with the restaurants in the area." He clears his throat. "If you'd maybe…like to have dinner with me?"

She swallows, seeming to have trouble with words. Finally, she murmurs, "I could eat."

There's no fighting the enormous grin that spreads across his face. "Chinese, Italian, Mexican?" He assesses her reaction to each by her facial expression before suggesting, "There's also a great diner a few blocks away. We could walk there."

"Now that we just got our licenses?" But she nods in agreement anyway. "That sounds great."

He's still smiling as he leads the way, his hand slipping comfortably around hers.

It's probably the most interesting dinner Tobias has ever had. Despite the fact that they've just spent hours talking, they have no trouble keeping up a lively discussion, and he finds himself getting more and more intrigued by this young woman the longer they spend together.

They're so wrapped up in each other that the waitress has to ask them five times if they'd like anything else before they get the hint and leave – well after finishing their meal.

"I'll walk you back to your car," Tobias says as they finally head out into the still-overcast evening.

"I actually don't have one," Tris answers, looking a touch awkward at the admission. "I only need the license for identification, and for when I visit my family. I take public transit the rest of the time."

"Oh." For a second he's confused, wondering why she spent all day at the DMV when she could easily have come back at a less-busy time. He grins when he figures it out. _She chose to wait with him._ "Well, I don't have my car with me, since I live close enough to the DMV to walk. But if you want to come to my place, I can get my car and give you a ride?"

"You don't have to do that," she says. "I'm used to navigating on my own."

He frowns, looking up at the sky. "It's about to rain, Tris." He meets her gaze again. "And as a self-defense instructor, I have to say that I'd much prefer to take you home. Please let me do that."

There's an odd hesitation on her face before she nods. "Okay."

It's not until they're a block closer to his apartment that he realizes why she was hesitant. She thinks that he expects to come up to her place when they get there. That honestly hadn't occurred to him, though he can't deny that the idea is extremely appealing. Particularly since she said yes when she thought that's what he was asking….

The idea disappears when the skies open up, rain suddenly pouring down hard and fast enough to soak them both almost instantly.

"Shit!" Tris squeaks, trying to shield her eyes as she glances up edgily. It's easy to see why when the lightning starts. They aren't in any real danger on the ground, of course, not when they're surrounded by tall buildings, but there's nothing like being outside in a raging thunderstorm to make you want to get indoors quickly.

"Come on," Tobias calls, grabbing Tris' hand again and pulling her in a run toward his apartment. By the time they get there, there is so much water dripping off them, they could probably be declared their own wetlands. They huddle together in the lobby, wringing their clothing out and shivering because even though the rain is warm, it's still colder than body temperature.

"Let's go upstairs," Tobias suggests. "I don't have anything that will fit you well, but I can at least give you something dry to wear, and I can throw your clothes into the laundry." She nods, too cold and wet to have any objections to going to the apartment of someone she just met today.

She follows him wordlessly up the stairs, their wet shoes slipping occasionally, and down the hallway. As he holds his door open for her, he's glad for once that he keeps his place clean. It's an old habit that his father literally beat into him, and part of him usually hates it for that reason. But today, as Tris looks around curiously, he's relieved that she's not facing the kind of messy bachelor pad that his friends have.

"I'll get you something to wear," he tells her, heading into his room and searching for the very smallest items he can find. But everything is his size. He hasn't had a girlfriend in a long time, at least not one who stayed here often enough to leave anything behind, and he's been working out for years, which has kept his size stable. There's nothing small to offer the woman waiting in his living room.

Sighing, he grabs a T-shirt and a pair of shorts with the tightest waistband he can find, and he takes them to Tris with a clean towel. "You can change in the bathroom," he offers.

He changes quickly himself, replacing his outfit with one that is substantially similar – another T-shirt and jeans – before he returns to the living room. She's gone long enough that he's starting to wonder if he offended her, but when she emerges again, he understands why.

"I couldn't make the shorts work," she mutters uncomfortably, holding them out to him as she stands there in nothing but his T-shirt. It's long enough on her to act like a short dress, coming to just above her knees. "They're too big. And everything else is sopping wet."

He tries to keep his eyes on her face. He really does. But he doesn't think he's ever seen a sexier sight than _Tris_ in nothing but his shirt. His gaze drops down her body despite his best efforts, before moving slowly up her bare legs, and he can't help the reaction he has when he reaches the hem of the shirt, knowing what is and isn't just above it. Her underpants are undoubtedly with the rest of her wet outfit.

"You don't happen to have a hair dryer, do you?" Tris asks, and he manages to drag his attention back to her face. His breathing is hard, as are other parts of him that he knows he isn't doing a good job of hiding right now.

"Um, no…." It's almost impossible to stay focused. "Sorry. My hair is too short to need one." He steps closer, taking the shorts that she's still holding out to him and letting them hang in front of him, where they block her view of what his pants don't. But it proves to be a mistake to get that close; her scent is even stronger when she's wet.

"I…um, I can throw your clothes in the dryer," he offers, his words almost shaking with his breaths as he inches a little nearer. "Or, you can hang them to dry in the bathroom, if you want to stay for a while." He can't seem to stop his free hand from reaching out and running lightly up her arm.

"God, you look good, Tris."

The corners of her mouth tug upwards. "Are you saying you're attracted to your own clothes?"

"Yes," he says, fighting his answering grin. "I have such trouble getting dressed every day. I just sit there for hours, staring at my T-shirts." His hand moves up to her face, brushing the wet hair away from her cheek and tucking it behind her ear. "But I _much_ prefer them on you." His voice is deep, and he practically growls the word _much_.

She leans up at the same time he leans down, and their lips meet in the middle. It starts out gentle and a little timid, making certain of each other, but it doesn't take long before it's the most intense kiss of his life. He drops the shorts that he's been holding in favor of wrapping that arm around her and splaying his fingers across her back. His other hand finds its way into her hair, holding her to him as her own hands work their way between the back of his neck and his head.

And their lips are everywhere, pressing against necks and ears and jawlines and lingering most heavily on each other's mouths as they explore every inch of exposed skin above the collar.

"I can stay while they dry," Tris finally manages to gasp, her fingernails scraping down Tobias' back before fumbling with the hem of his shirt, pushing it up in a desperate attempt to reach more of him. He yanks it off in a single, smooth motion, tossing it who-knows-where while she runs her hands up his stomach and over his chest. "You really are a Greek god," she whispers.

"I like you better," he pants, his fingers running up her thighs and slowly lifting the only clothing that she's wearing. "Much, much better."

A mischievous smirk plays across her lips as she runs a finger over the zipper of his pants, feeling the pressure on them from inside. "So it seems."

His answer is a groan of longing, his hands finding the underside of her thighs as he lifts her up, the T-shirt riding up to her waist when he presses her back against the wall, standing between her legs. She wraps them tightly around him, her lips finding his again while her fingertips scrape up his back. She pauses only slightly at the scars that he knows she must feel, but they obviously don't bother her enough to stop, because she continues to his shoulders, pulling herself even closer to him as she moans against his mouth.

It dissolves any last remnant of self-restraint he may have had left. He's not even sure how they get into his room, only that he's never been happier to be lying on his bed, his eyes and his lips taking in every part of a woman he finds wildly attractive. And that she's doing the same thing in return is beyond amazing.

It's not until he's inside her that he realizes his mistake. Every single aspect of his mind and his heart and his body are screaming that this shouldn't be a one-time thing. That he wants to repeat this over and over, quite possibly forever, with this particular woman. But how often does that happen when a couple jumps into bed this quickly?

The thought sends a spurt of pure, raw panic through him, and for a brief moment he wishes he had more blood flowing to his brain so he could come up with options. But as his friend, Zeke, always says, a hard dick has no conscience – and his is exactly where it wants to be right now. He couldn't pull out if his life depended on it.

So, he does the only thing he can think of instead. He focuses on _her_. He repeats her name again and again, in murmurs and groans and moans as he kisses her, and as his fingers trace her most sensitive spots, and as he moves inside her. And he watches her, making it clear that _she_ is who he wants, not some fantasy or memory of a past girlfriend.

But most especially, he pays attention to the way she responds, listening to every gasp and pant and moan to find the right spots to meet her needs – three times – before he finally lets himself work on his own.

She's a shuddering, quivering mess of limbs and sweat and tangled hair by the time she spasms around him for the fourth time, calling out his name as her fingernails dig into his back. He can't help but respond the same way, exploding with a level of pleasure he didn't even know was possible as he grunts " _Tris_ " like it's a holy word. She wraps her legs around him, holding on as they both ride out their highs, every part of their bodies pressing together as if they're fused into one being.

Truth be told, he was always a little jealous of women's orgasms before today. From what he's been told, they radiate through the entire body in a way that men's rarely do, and he wanted to know what that was like. Today, though, that wish is granted with an intensity he never could have imagined.

It's all he can do afterwards to flip them both onto their sides, and to carefully withdraw, holding the condom so its contents don't spill. If he's honest, some small, primitive part of him wants to let it go, to get this particular woman pregnant with his seed. But he resists the impulse, knowing that he wouldn't really do that to either of them.

They lie there together, face-to-face, trying to breathe as they stare at each other, unable to put words to the experience they just shared. Tris is the first to try.

"That was…." She stops, shaking her head. "It was…. There needs to be a new word for that."

His voice is deep when he answers. "There already is one." But he doesn't say what he knows it is, because it's far too early to use that particular L word. Instead, he smiles a bit as he says, "It's _Tris_."

Her lips lift in response, but she shakes her head. "Well, I know I've never had anything remotely that good before, so I'd have to say it's called _Tobias_ instead."

There's no way to answer that aloud. But the wide grin that forms across his entire face is the only reply either of them needs. His fingers caress her cheek lightly, moving some of the hair that's plastered to her skin out of the way before he pulls her to him for a long, loving kiss.

"Tris," he says a bit hesitantly as she snuggles up to his side. "I know that this kind of thing…sleeping together on the first date…is usually associated with a one-night stand. But that's not what I want." His hand rubs up and down her arm. "I think we have a real connection, and I want to explore that. I'm…hoping that you do, too?"

Her entire body reacts, something like a wave of tension leaving her as she breathes out, "God, yes." She bites her lip quickly, apparently afraid of the intensity of what she just let slip, but Tobias smiles again, pulling her even closer.

"So," he murmurs, "if I go to sleep, you'll still be here in the morning?"

He feels her grin against his chest. "Tobias, whether or not you sleep, I'll be here in the morning. I'm not going anywhere."

The words relax something deep inside him, and he doesn't think he's ever felt happier than in this moment, with this woman snuggled up to him in his bed. Once again, the L word flits through his mind, and for the first time he understands something that he never truly believed in before today. This connection that he has with Tris, this attraction and passion and playfulness – that's what people mean when they talk about love at first sight.

He doesn't say that, not yet. But he knows that someday he will. And the thought makes him smile as he pulls Tris to him again, kissing her forehead lightly.

The smile only deepens with her next words. "As if I could walk anyway, after four of _those_."


	2. Chapter 2: Next Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I was done with this story - completely, totally done. It was always intended to be a one-shot, after all. But then I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't fall back asleep, and what should start going through my mind in great detail but the next part of these characters' lives... I have lots of other stories that I'm either actively writing or am planning out, but did any of THOSE come to mind then? No, of course not! Instead, I fixated on one of my COMPLETED stories.
> 
> So, anyway, here's the first of two chapters that insisted on being written. The other one won't be far behind. I hope you enjoy it, and thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, and to BarbaraK2U, who did a wonderful job beta-reading this story for me!

**Chapter 2: Next Day**

The alarm blares through the room, startling Tobias from the best sleep he's had in years. Maybe ever.

Beside him, Tris tries to bury herself deeper into the bedding, clearly not wanting to rise, and he can't help smiling at the sight as he reaches over her to turn off the alarm. Normally, he gets up immediately after doing that, but today he snuggles back in place, spooning her as he nuzzles his face into her hair. She smells absolutely wonderful….

"What time is it?" she asks groggily.

"Seven o'clock." After a second, it occurs to him to add, "On Thursday." He's never had a first date sleep over on a weeknight before, so he's not used to going to work _the morning after_.

Clearly, Tris isn't, either, because she sits bolt upright at the answer, pulling out of his embrace. "Thursday? Oh no, oh no, oh no…."

She stumbles out of the bed before he can answer, and he watches her cross the room toward the bathroom where her clothes still are. At first, he can't quite decide if the sight of her naked body is a reasonable trade for the sudden loss of her touch and warmth, but it doesn't take long to conclude that it's not. No matter how sexy she looks with nothing adorning her except bed-head.

"I can drive you," he offers as he drags himself to his feet, remembering that she usually takes public transportation. "To your place and then to wherever you work, if that'll help."

She emerges from the bathroom, her shirt already on and her clearly-still-damp pants in her hands. Biting her lip, she looks between him and the clock with enough anxiety to tell him that she really does need the ride.

"That will make _you_ late, won't it?" she finally asks, clearly trying to be selfless despite her obvious need.

"I'll call in. It's not a problem."

She pauses for just a moment longer before nodding, relief obvious in her face. "Thanks. I have a meeting with a potential donor that I _can't_ miss."

They don't waste any time getting dressed, and they're in his car within five minutes, zooming through the parking garage at a considerably faster speed than is probably safe. "Turn left," Tris begins as they reach the exit, "I think." She cranes her neck as she looks for street signs to confirm that.

Tobias' smile interrupts her. "406 Abnegation Way, Apartment 46. I can get there."

Her gaze leaps to him, her expression a bit surprised. "You remembered."

He arches an amused eyebrow. "I told you I would."

"I know, but…." She shakes her head slightly, a hint of redness rising up her cheeks. "It's been my experience that guys say a lot of things they don't mean…."

The words twist something inside him, and his hands tighten on the steering wheel as he finds himself wanting to hurt whoever made her develop that distrust. " _I_ don't," he finally answers firmly.

But it's not quite true, and he knows it, given how many lies he told throughout his childhood. It was the only way to stay out of trouble with his father – and to keep anyone else from finding out about the abuse at home. His voice is quieter when he adds, "I won't do that to you, Tris."

Her eyes rest on him as she considers that promise. Clearing her throat, she says, "Amar speaks very highly of you, you know."

It's an obvious attempt to change the subject, and he bites back his feelings as he goes along with it, not wanting to make her uncomfortable.

"He's going to be unbearable when he realizes we're together," he comments instead, giving a low chuckle – before it occurs to him what he just said. _Together_ implies a level of commitment that they haven't discussed yet, something considerably stronger than exploring their connection….

Before the statement can make things even more awkward, Tobias adds, "I suspect he was planning to set us up, if he was pointing me out to you. He tends to do that."

Again, he catches the blunder the moment it leaves his mouth, and he finds himself wondering how he managed to avoid putting his foot in his mouth all day yesterday. _Maybe he did and just didn't notice it._

"I mean, once in a while. It's not like he sets me up all the time or anything." He can feel the red rising up his neck as he mumbles, "I'm certainly not a player – I haven't even really dated anyone recently."

Tris' snicker interrupts him, and his eyes flit to her, not sure if he's relieved or even more embarrassed to see the amused grin on her face.

"I'm really not awake yet," he mutters as an excuse. It only makes her laugh harder.

"You're fine, Tobias," she reassures him. "I…actually asked him about you in the first place."

That definitely makes him feel better, and he manages to avoid any further embarrassment the rest of the drive to her apartment.

He waits in her very small, but reasonably neat, living room while she takes the quickest shower he's ever seen a woman manage before throwing on her work clothes and getting ready for her day. He's impressed that they make it back into the car by seven-forty, heading towards the address she gives him.

"Is that where you work?" He's not aware of any charities that are headquartered in that area, but it's a big city, after all.

"No. It's where the potential donor is. They're considering a very large donation, so we're meeting them at their workplace." She looks a bit anxious as she glances at the clock. "There's a lot at stake."

"I'll get you there," he assures her, turning down a different route since the road they're on has begun to back up.

"Thank you again for the ride," she murmurs as she reaches into her purse, taking out her phone and fiddling with it. "I can't believe I forgot all about this last night."

The comment makes Tobias grin again – something that he's probably done more often in the last twenty-four hours than in the previous year. Clearly, their day together captivated her as much as it did him.

"What's your number?" Tris asks, holding her phone up expectantly, and he's happy to rattle it off. It's not like he couldn't have found her again, between knowing her address and when and where she takes karate, but it's far preferable to be able to contact her easily.

"Get that for me, would you?" he requests with a smirk as his phone begins ringing from her call. "It's in my pants pocket."

Her only response is to roll her eyes, but a few seconds later she begins speaking, and he realizes that she's leaving him a voice message.

"Hi, Tobias. It's Tris." She gives him a mischievous look. "Listen, I had a really great time last night, and I hope you call me back sometime soon. None of this waiting for three days nonsense, okay? I always hate that."

He laughs as she hangs up. "I was thinking of waiting for _four_ days, personally, since it's my nickname and all."

" _That's_ where it comes from," she says, nodding with mock seriousness. "I figured it was because of what you did to me last night."

He can't help his snort of amusement at that. "Yes, that's exactly why _Amar_ gave me that nickname. Because I gave him four orgasms."

"Well, he is gay…" she reasons.

"True." Tobias leans a little closer to her, enjoying the way her breath hitches in response to his proximity. "But I'm not, just in case you didn't notice."

She turns toward the window, her lips twitching as she mutters, "That kind of came to my attention. Once or twice. Or maybe four times…."

* * *

He makes it all of two hours before he pulls his phone out, deciding to text her instead of calling, in case she's still in her meeting.

"So, is it Tris with an S or Trice like Beatrice?"

"With an S," she answers quickly enough that he wonders if she's been staring at her phone as much as he's been watching his. "Trice is too much like twice, and you know that's only half what I like."

He has to turn away from his office door to make sure no one notices his grin. He's never going to think of his nickname the same way again.

"An S at the end," he types, "for your Sexy end. Got it."

"Oh, that's terrible."

"No, Terrible is definitely NOT what the T stands for. More like Terrific."

"You know, your name starts and ends with the same letters, Tobias."

"Then we need to find something that works for both of us."

It takes her a few seconds to answer that. "That may be tough, but I'll go with Tremendously Sexy for you."

He stifles his snort of amusement. "Tremendous is good. Very manly." It's the kind of thing his best friend, Zeke, would say.

He pauses to think before adding, "But it doesn't quite work for you. Tempting? Tantalizing? Titillating?"

He can practically hear her laughter through the city between them. "Pretty sure I've NEVER been called that."

"Then I get to be your first."

Beside him, a meeting reminder pops up on his computer, and he sighs before typing, "Ugh, I have to go. Dinner?"

It might be pushing his luck to ask so soon, but he can't resist. To his relief, it doesn't take long for her to respond. "There's a nice Italian place near me."

As he clicks in his answer, he knows that there's no way he'll be able to wipe the smile off his face in time for his meeting.

"I'll pick you up from work."

****

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please take a moment to review this chapter. Reviews mean a lot to me, and they help me improve my writing and decide what to work on next. Thanks!


	3. Chapter 3: Girlfriend

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the support from the first two chapters! I really appreciate the reviews, favorites, and follows. Thank you also to the wonderful BarbaraK2U, who kindly beta-read this story for me!

**Chapter 3: Girlfriend**

They don't spend _every_ day and night together for the next two weeks, but it's certainly enough for him to get thoroughly attached.

"This really is an _awful_ movie," Tris comments about a half-hour into the bizarre monster-movie-gone-spectacularly-wrong flick they've been watching in his apartment.

He pulls her against him, leaning down to nuzzle her ear. "But it's perfect for a date. Visually interesting whenever you happen to glance up, but something you don't mind missing large chunks of while you're…distracted with other things."

She laughs. " _That's_ why you've been picking such sucky movies. I was starting to think you had terrible taste."

His grin presses into the side of her neck, since that's where his lips happen to be at the moment. "Actually, my best friend, Zeke, recommended this one. I should know better than to listen to him by now."

"What's your excuse for the last one?"

"His fiancée, Shauna, insisted you'd love it." He presses his hand to Tris' back to support her as he leans her body slowly backwards. "They're always dying to give me dating advice, but they don't get the chance often. So, now that I have a girlfriend, they're taking every opportunity."

There's a slight pause, and he can feel her smile as she says, "Girlfriend, huh? Is that what I am?"

The words send a jolt of nervousness through him, since it's the first time they've acknowledged a longer-term status – other than his fumbled admission the morning after they met.

"Well, I certainly hope so," he decides to say boldly, "or I've been lying to my friends."

She grins as their eyes meet, and it's all the answer he needs. His lips find hers, kissing her with a depth that can't begin to match his feelings for this woman – but that perhaps hints at them.

"Would this be a bad time to tell you that I have a boyfriend?" she says when they pull apart. Her tone is light and teasing, but the statement certainly doesn't affect him that way.

He sits up sharply, horror churning through his insides as he stares at her. " _What?_ "

The humor falls from her face as she sits up, too. Stammering a little, she tries to retrieve the moment. "You know, the big, tall guy I've been spending all my time with?" She looks worried as she gives him a crooked half-smile. "The one named Four?"

It's obvious that his reaction is alarming her, but it's having the same effect on him. She clearly wasn't serious, but there's no way he can deny how much jealousy and betrayal and loss went pulsing through him at her words. It's more than a little unnerving.

"I was _joking_ , Tobias."

"Yeah." He runs a hand through his hair, trying to clear his mind, or at least figure out why his reaction is so out of proportion to what she said. "I know. I just…." He shakes his head. "I'm sorry – it scared the hell out of me to think I was losing you."

For a moment, she stares at him in silence while he looks down, realizing with some level of shame that his hands are shaking. She reaches out tentatively, placing her palm on his cheek, and he lets it stay there.

Her tone is gentle when she asks, "Who did you lose, Tobias?"

It's not until she says it that he understands his blind panic. He should have known he couldn't escape his past….

His eyes find hers, and he swallows hard as, for the first time ever, he contemplates releasing his lifetime of secrets and pain. He's only known Tris for two weeks. _How could he possibly consider doing that?_

And yet, he does.

"My mother." The words are scarcely a whisper. "She left when I was nine." Tris stays silent, and somehow he finds himself continuing. "She had to, I guess. My father was…awful to her. He…." He shakes his head again, at a loss how to explain all the evils that Marcus committed.

But Tris seems to understand. "He hurt her." It's a simple statement, but one that manages to carry the full pain of what his mother endured.

Tris' voice turns much colder when she adds, "And her solution was to leave _you_ with him?"

Tobias just nods, unable to defend that action.

For a long moment, Tris stares at him, disbelief and anger warring in her expression. "He gave you the scars on your back, didn't he?" It's not so much a question as a statement of fact, and that makes it easier to nod again, even if the motion is so slight it's hardly noticeable.

Tris closes her eyes, shaking her head as if she wants to deny that people could be capable of doing such a thing. Her eyes are moist when she opens them again, and she places her hands on either side of his head, pulling him down so his forehead rests on hers.

"I'm so sorry, Tobias," she whispers. "You never deserved that, and I'm sorry that I reminded you of it."

There's something about her tone that reaches all the way through him, despite how soft it is. She's not speaking with pity. Instead, she's conveying a mix of understanding and anger. She hates his parents for what they did, rather than viewing him as a victim.

It sends a startling amount of relief through him. For the first time in his life, he revealed the worst parts of his past, and Tris is still here, holding him and accepting him.

The sensation is immediately followed by something much darker, as he abruptly figures out _why_ she understands.

"Who hurt you, Tris?"

Her breath catches, and she doesn't answer for a long time. The words are barely audible when she does. "A former boyfriend."

His hands seek her out instinctively, gripping her arms with a sort of fierce comfort as she continues. "He had a drinking problem, and when he drank, he'd get angry and…hit me." She swallows. "He kept promising to get help, but he just kept doing it."

Tobias' body tenses, and his eyes close as he wonders exactly how much her life was like his mother's.

"I was so afraid that he'd drink himself to death if I left him, but I finally had to." She sighs. "I still wonder sometimes what happened to him."

Clearing her throat, she adds, "To be clear, I never want to see him again. I would just feel less guilty if I found out that he didn't die because I left. That he turned his life around instead and didn't hurt anyone else."

An odd sort of choked smile works its way onto Tobias' face as he realizes why she said the last part. She wants him to know that she wouldn't choose her ex over him, even if he stopped drinking.

"I love you, Tris."

The words come out with a breath before he can think better of them. But he freezes immediately afterwards, a fresh type of panic coursing through him. _What the hell was that?_ It's _much_ too soon to say the L word. He undoubtedly just screwed everything up.

He pulls away, sweat already starting to form as he stammers for an excuse. "I mean…. I…. I was just…. I…."

"It's okay, Tobias." Tris' hands reach out, taking his arms this time, as a smile slowly forms on her face. "I've definitely been falling for you, too."

Their gazes lock for the longest five seconds of his life before Tobias pulls her to him, their lips connecting in what is unquestionably the most incredible kiss he's ever had. And in that moment, he knows somehow that this is his forever. After everything he has endured – after all the loneliness and emptiness and pain – this is his reward.

It is the most unimaginably perfect one he could ever have received.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't have any immediate plans to continue this story, since I did originally intend it to be a one-off, after all. However, there's still one chapter playing in the back of my mind, so I might write it at some point. We'll see... In the meantime, please let me know what you thought of this chapter. Thanks!


	4. Chapter 4: Apartments

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't seem to stop writing this particular version of the characters... Every time I think I'm done with this story, more chapters pop into my head, demanding to be written. At this point, the story will be at least eight chapters long. So, anyway, here's chapter 4.
> 
> Thank you very, very much to everyone who has reviewed so far, and to the wonderful BarbaraK2U, who has been beta-reading this story for me!

**Chapter 4: Apartments**

Tris looks sleepy and disheveled when she emerges from Tobias' bedroom. He smiles at her from where he's sitting on the couch, leaning over the map he has spread across the coffee table. They've been together for just over four months now, but he doesn't think he'll ever get used to how adorable she looks in his T-shirt, her bed-head making her look both taller and shorter at the same time.

"What are you doing?" she asks, blinking somewhat blearily at the map.

"Evaluating apartment locations." He doesn't elaborate, even though he knows she'll want an explanation.

She stares down for another moment before returning her gaze to him. "Is your lease running out?"

"No," he answers simply, doing his best to keep his voice steady, "but yours is. And mine doesn't have a specific renewal date – I just have to give a month's notice before leaving." He leans over more, running his index finger along the outline he drew on the map. "So, I figure that if we look for a place within this area, we'll be reasonably located for both of our jobs, and for the gym."

There's silence while she digests the words, clearly not sure that she's understanding him correctly in her sleepy state. "Tobias," she finally begins hesitantly, "are you suggesting we move in together?"

Her tone isn't what he'd hoped for, and he finds himself switching instinctively to plan B. "Actually, I'm saying that we already live together – in the most expensive and inconvenient way possible. I think we should fix that." He gives a small shrug, as if it's the most matter-of-fact statement in the world.

She opens her mouth, staring at him, before closing it again. "Either I _really_ need coffee," she states flatly, "or something happened while I was sleeping, because I sure don't remember us living together."

He lets a smile trace his mouth. "Think about it, Tris. When is the last time we spent an entire day and night apart?"

The question clearly makes her pause, and she debates it for a good five seconds before admitting, "I don't remember."

Tobias nods. "Exactly. We spend every night together, even when we don't have sex. We have stuff at each other's apartments. We share a car. We don't make plans without including the other. We shop for both of us." He shrugs again. "We're living together."

Tapping the map, he adds, "But we're still paying for two apartments, and half the time we can't find stuff when we need it because it's in the other one. If we rented one apartment together instead, we could afford a bigger place and would still have more money left at the end of each month."

He gives her a hopeful look, but she seems unconvinced. Or maybe worse than that…. For a long moment, she evaluates him, and her lips purse more tightly the longer the stare lasts. "So, you're just being logical?" she finally asks. There's no way to miss the sour edge to her tone, and it makes him shift uncomfortably as he realizes that plan B is definitely backfiring.

He scratches the back of his neck, trying to think of how to fix this without abandoning the goal. "That's part of it," he murmurs, now staring fixedly at the map. He sighs. "But not most of it."

Now, it's his turn to be silent as she moves slowly around the coffee table, taking a careful seat next to him on the couch.

"You think it's too soon, don't you?" he mutters. He knows there's defeat in his tone, and he can't bring himself to look at her, unable to admit how much he wants this.

"I don't know." Her voice is thoughtful, but there's no way to ignore the edge of wariness in it that forms its own answer.

Maybe she's right. Tobias doesn't entirely know why he can't resist taking things to the next level with her. It's not like he ever had that desire with anyone else, but she does things to him that he didn't even know were possible, and it makes him keep wanting more. Honestly, he'd ask her to marry him right now if he thought it wouldn't scare her off. And that's from someone who _never_ thought he'd get married.

Still, he knows better than to reveal those thoughts. Given the nerves she's showing just from the idea of living together, she's obviously not ready for more. Either she doesn't feel as strongly as he does, or she has other reasons to be nervous.

"Have you ever lived with anyone?" she asks him, her voice difficult to decipher. "I mean, other than your 'parents.'" He can hear the dislike in her tone when she mentions them.

"In college. Zeke was my roommate for the first couple of years, and then we shared an apartment for another few."

She nods. "But not with someone you were involved with?"

"No." He manages a lopsided smile, his eyes meeting hers fleetingly before moving away again. "There was no one I wanted to be around that much."

She bites her lip at the statement. Gently placing her hand on his, she traces his tendons while she thinks. "I do love you, Tobias. You know that. But the one time I lived with someone…it didn't turn out well."

The thought sends a deep fury pulsing through him, a reminder of the bastard who hurt her. He meets her eyes fully now, letting her see that he hates her abuser as much as she hates his.

"Tris," he starts, but she shakes her head, effectively shushing him.

"I know you're not like that, Tobias. I do. And I trust you – so much more than I've trusted anyone else I've dated. But part of me needs to know that I have a way out. I can't get trapped in a situation like… _that_ …again. I just can't. And having separate apartments is that way out for me."

Slowly, he nods, understanding her hesitation now and realizing that it has little or nothing to do with him. He would have the same problem if he were to somehow end up living with a parent figure, no matter how good a person he thought that individual was.

His hand turns over on its own, his fingers twining with hers. "I can wait, Tris." He gives her a small, gentle smile. "I'm admittedly not good at that when it comes to you, but I'll do it anyway, for as long as you need."

Bringing her hand to his lips, he kisses it softly. The action seems to spur an idea in him, and he voices it before he can think twice. "Though, you know, we could always put the apartment under just my name, so I'd be the one to get the bill. That way, I'd be the one responsible if we fell behind on the rent, or if I trashed the place, or anything else. So, you could leave anytime, for any reason, if you needed."

Her lips part slightly, and he knows he's hit home. She's never revealed the full circumstances around what happened to her, but clearly she wasn't able to walk away easily.

He clears his throat before continuing. "And obviously, you'd still be working, and we'd have separate bank accounts, so you'd have money to leave if it ever came up."

She nods a little, looking torn, and he feels a spark of hope. But still, he knows there's one more thing he has to admit – something difficult.

"I need that, too," he says softly. "To be sure that you have a way out. I've spent so long trying to ensure I never become like my father, but I still worry about it sometimes." He swallows hard. "And I could never forgive myself if I did something like that to you. So, I need to know that you'll always be safe, no matter what."

The corner of his mouth lifts just a little before falling again. "That's why I keep telling you to continue your classes with Amar, even when you're learning from me, too. I want you to be able to beat the living crap out of me if I ever act like _him_."

She gives a short laugh, but he finds her gaze, and after a moment, she nods more seriously, realizing that he means it. "I will," she promises.

He nods, too, before reaching down and starting to fold the map to put it away. He's surprised when she places her hand on his again, stopping him this time.

"There's no harm in looking," she says quietly.

As their eyes hold each other's, he decides it's one of the best things he's ever heard.

* * *

"I'm getting too old to work this hard for pizza," Zeke complains as he plops his end of the couch down in the living room.

Tobias just gives him a look. "I didn't complain when I helped you and Shauna move."

"Yeah, yeah. What can I say? You're just a better person than I am."

Beside them, Shauna snorts as she carries a box toward the bedroom. Tobias isn't entirely sure whose side she's taking, and maybe Zeke isn't, either, since he doesn't question her on it.

Zeke's younger brother, Uriah, on the other hand, doesn't hesitate to speak up. "She's snorting because she knows that _I'm_ the best man here."

Zeke rolls his eyes. "Give him that role at a wedding and he never stops using the title…."

Tobias can't help grinning at that. "Don't worry," he mutters quietly enough to avoid being overheard from the other room, where Tris and her best friend, Christina, are currently unpacking, "I'll give _you_ that role at mine."

For several very long seconds, Zeke just stares at him, his jaw slightly agape. "Holy shit," he finally says, looking at his brother to make sure he heard correctly. "Did Four just indicate that he might actually get _married_ someday?"

He looks out the window, as if checking whether pigs are flying past the building.

"Clearly, he's done too much lifting today," Uriah says, shaking his head solemnly. He looks at his brother with mock sadness. "Heat stroke is a terrible thing."

"Oh, come on," Tobias says, torn between annoyance and amusement. "I was never _that_ anti-marriage." Was he?

" _Yes, you were_ ," both of his friends state in unison, so emphatically he can feel an answering redness rising up his face. Maybe he was…. After all, his parents didn't exactly leave him with a good impression of the institution, and he didn't have any close friends until college, and Zeke and Uriah's father is dead. When it comes down to it, he's never even seen a happy marriage, so it's not surprising that he never considered it to be a valid option for himself.

But there's no way to deny that he sees it differently now.

He's silent for a moment, facing his friends' questioning gazes, before he lifts a shoulder. "She's it for me. She really is."

The two brothers look at each other, smiles working their way onto both faces, before they step forward, clapping Tobias on the back.

"About damned time," Zeke mutters.

* * *

It takes the group the better part of the afternoon to get everything moved in from Tris' and Tobias' apartments. The two of them will still need to go back to their old places to clean, to make sure they get their damage deposits back, and there's still plenty of unpacking to do in the new place, but they relax anyway as they all sit around afterwards, eating pizza.

Their two groups of friends blend well, Tobias realizes, as he watches Uriah, Christina, and her boyfriend Will exchange jokes while Tris and Shauna talk. Still, he can't say he's sorry to see them all leave afterwards, giving him and Tris time alone in their new apartment.

They break the pizza boxes down for recycling and put the dishes into the dishwasher – something they're both excited to have – and stand there for a moment, admiring their kitchen.

"I can't believe we're actually here," Tris says, smiling softly. After all the places they considered, and her on-and-off nervousness about going through with the move, Tobias is pleased to see that she looks happy about their new reality. It draws a grin from deep inside him.

"It is a little surreal, isn't it?" He steps closer, wrapping his arms around her as he rests his forehead on hers. He loves holding her like this, taking in her scent and feeling her warmth against him. "Honestly, I never expected to do this with anyone."

"Yeah, I was definitely done with the whole concept," she admits with a wry laugh. "But you…." She sighs – more contentedly than not, he thinks. "You do things to me, Tobias."

His grin widens. "I do, huh?" Playfully running his nose down the side of her face, he kisses the sweet spot behind her ear. "What kind of things?"

She tilts her head to give him better access, clearly enjoying the attention he's now paying to her neck. "Perfectly innocent, G-rated ones, of course." He's on her collarbone now, and her words are a bit breathy as they trail off.

"Mmm, yes, of course." His hands find her hips, and he lifts her up, setting her deftly on the counter as his lips connect with hers, before trailing their way down again.

"You know," he murmurs in a deeper voice, "there's a tradition when a couple moves into a new place." His hands move under the hem of her shirt, running over the smooth skin beneath it. "They're supposed to make love in every room at least once. For luck."

"Luck, huh?" She reaches out, pulling his shirt off him easily. He returns the favor, barely interrupting his contact with her in the process. "Well, we certainly wouldn't want to miss that chance, would we?"

"No point in tempting fate," he agrees soberly, moving his mouth slowly down her front. A smirk tugs at the corners of his lips as he pulls back just a little. "But seeing as we're in the kitchen…." His eyes meet hers with a mischievous glint. "Eating seems more appropriate."

She raises an amused eyebrow. "Didn't we just do that?"

His fingers move to the button on her pants as his smirk widens. "Yes," he answers, his gaze now on her lower region while he leans her backwards, working her pants off her. "But I could definitely go for dessert."

* * *

"I didn't realize the tradition was supposed to be carried out all in one night," Tris gasps between heavy breaths as she flops back onto their bed, thoroughly sated.

Tobias' chuckle is deep. "Well, there are only four rooms," he answers, thinking back to their very first night together and to all the times they've repeated that particular number since then. Of course, it's usually more on Tris' part that they reach it, rather than his. At the age of thirty-three, it's not as easy for him to manage four performances in a night as it would have been when he was younger. Not that it ever came up then – there was no one to bring out that side of him the way Tris does.

Tonight, though, with this incredible woman in _their_ apartment, it seemed impossible to get enough. And as they lie there afterwards, letting sleep slowly claim them, he doesn't think he's ever been happier.

Pulling her gently to him, he kisses her temple, letting his lips linger. "I love you, Tris."

Her smile speaks her own contentment as she snuggles deeper into his side. "I love you, too, Tobias."

__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please take a moment to let me know what you thought of this chapter. Also, there's a poll on the fanfiction net Profile page for my Windchimed account (it doesn't display on the mobile version of the app, so you'll need to view it on your computer to see it), describing four storylines that I'm thinking about writing next. If you're interested, please take a moment to read them and to vote (if you don't have a fanfiction account, you can "vote" by letting me know your choices in a review). Thanks!


	5. Chapter 5: Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! I really appreciate the support. Thank you also to the wonderful BK2U, who has kindly been my beta-reader for this longer-than-originally-intended story!
> 
> By the way, for those who asked, Tris is 31 at this point in the story.

**Chapter 5: Reunion**

Tobias tries hard to be patient during the three weeks that Tris debates attending her ten-year college reunion. It's expensive, she reasons, and she would have to take a day off work to travel there, and she would need to get a hotel for a couple of nights. Besides, her closest friends, Christina and Will, can't make it, and she reads the alumni/ae news, which keeps her up-to-date on the rest of her class.

Still, she'd like to see the campus again and talk with some of her former professors, and maybe see a few friends she's lost touch with. And she could show Tobias off to them, a thought that makes him grin. So, it could potentially be a fun weekend trip. Plus, the ten-year reunion is a big deal.

By now, Tobias knows her well enough to suspect there's another reason behind her hesitation, but she doesn't voice it despite his gentle nudging, and he doesn't push harder. In the seven months they've been together, he's learned that they both share when they're ready – a dynamic that works well for them – and she clearly isn't there yet.

So, he just lets her know that he'd be happy to go with her and that he'd split the costs, and he otherwise waits while she goes back and forth on the subject.

Four weeks before the event, she finally buys the tickets, biting her lip nervously as she hangs them by the calendar in their kitchen with their other important papers. He smiles a little at the sight, and at his own mental use of that pronoun. It's only been two months since they moved in together, so it's still fresh enough for him to love seeing all the mundane aspects of their daily lives merge together.

She's quiet about the trip after that, and for long stretches of the actual drive the Friday before the event. That silence is interspersed with bursts of chatter whenever they pass a place with particular memories – somewhere that she and her friends used to go when they'd get bored on the weekends.

She hasn't traveled this way in a decade, after all, so it's understandable that sights would bring up memories, both good and bad. She chuckles fondly when she sees a run-down bar, describing a pool game that Will and Al played there when they were far too drunk to be handling long sticks and heavy balls. Apparently, Christina dared Al to try an absurd shot, and he ended up launching the ball halfway across the room – where it hit a motorcyclist who had stopped for a drink.

"And he wasn't the peaceful, just-traveling-across-the-country-on-vacation kind," Tris adds. "No, he was the huge, burly, muscle-covered, leather-clad, tattooed, looks-like-he-could-kill-you-just-for-staring-at-him kind. And he was _mad_."

She shakes her head a little, still smiling as she adds, "I've never been able to figure out how Christina talked him down, but they exchanged holiday cards for years after that."

Somehow, that doesn't entirely surprise Tobias. Christina has the gift of gab, with just enough flirtatiousness mixed with good looks to win most guys over easily. He's one of the few to prove utterly immune to her charms, and honestly, he probably would have been even if he hadn't already been head-over-heels for Tris by the time he met her. Christina is far too chatty for his taste.

It's late by the time they check into the hotel that's right by the campus, so they grab a quick dinner and decide to get some sleep before the next day's reunion activities.

It's not uncommon for either of them to have bad dreams, given the abuse they've both suffered in the past, but Tris is particularly restless that night. Tobias finally pulls her against his chest, running a hand slowly along her hair and down her back in long, soothing motions until her hushed whimpers cease and she falls into the deepest sleep of the night so far. By then, her small body is pressed so tightly into his side he wonders if it will be possible for her to extract it again.

Saturday proves to be a long day, filled with events of forced cheerfulness and some mock classes that seem to be designed to make everyone glad they're no longer in college. For the most part, Tobias stays by Tris' side, doing his best to be friendly to everyone she introduces him to – or at least to not offend them. Friendly isn't really a term that people use to describe him.

Her former professors seem to like him, though, shaking his hand firmly and sharing stories about problematic computers and boring meetings and difficult students. He wouldn't have thought that his work and his self-defense classes would give him so much in common with them, but it's definitely more enjoyable to talk to them than to Tris' classmates.

He's making his way back from the men's room, crossing the outside quad where the evening's event is taking place, when he spots Tris near a huge oak tree, talking to a man he hasn't met. He's a little too close to her, with no one around them, and it makes Tobias pause. A large part of him would like to interrupt them, making his role as her boyfriend clear and staking his territory in some primal caveman way.

But he's more mature than that, or at least he tries to be, and Tris isn't his property to claim. So instead, he watches, trying to decide if she wants him there right now or not. This guy is probably the reason she was so cautious about attending, which means she has some type of feelings toward him that she needs to work through – either good or bad. He feels selfish for hoping they're not good.

But as the seconds pass, and she doesn't try to move away from the man, Tobias can feel his heart slowly sink. He's on the verge of leaving, planning to distract himself by talking to someone else, when he remembers her whimpers from last night. If this is the asshole who hurt her, Tobias needs to be nearby – just in case.

So, he finds himself doing something that he hasn't done in decades, and which certainly doesn't feel mature or appropriate. He sneaks around the other side of the tree, getting just close enough to hear their conversation.

"It really is a relief to hear that, Peter," Tris is saying, her voice genuine. "I worried about you a lot afterwards."

"I'm sorry about that, too," the man – Peter – says with a low chuckle. He's silent for a few seconds before adding, "You were always better than I deserved, Beatrice."

"That's probably true." Her voice is deadpan, and something inside Tobias clenches at hearing the type of humor that she usually reserves for him.

"I'd like to think I'm more worthy of you now," Peter continues, "if you'd ever consider giving us a second chance."

Tobias doesn't quite realize that he's stopped breathing until Tris answers. "I'm sorry, but that isn't going to happen. I'm living with someone. He's…he's a really good guy."

There's another moment of silence before Peter asks softly, "Do you love him?" There's no answer, but Tris must have nodded, because he adds, "More than you loved me?"

"You don't really want to hear the answer to that," Tris murmurs. It eases the knot in Tobias' stomach.

It clearly has a very different effect on Peter. "I don't believe that. We were good together, Beatrice, in between me being a jerk. We could be great now. We really could."

There's a sound of movement, and Tris must step back, because suddenly Tobias can see her past the edge of the tree. She has her hands out to keep the man from getting too close.

"Peter," she says warningly, "I don't want you touching me."

"Beatrice…." He edges closer to her, moving into Tobias' line of sight. "Just think about it, okay? I know you still have feelings for me. It's obvious. Please don't give that up just because of some new guy."

Tris sighs. "You're hanging onto a fantasy, Peter, not a reality." She sounds more tired than anything else. "Because the thing is, we were never good. We were young, and you had…a lot of issues, and I convinced myself that I felt more than I did. But it was never real, not for either of us. You must know that."

The anger in his voice shows his resistance. "So, what we had was fake, and what you have with _him_ is real? Is that it?"

"Yes." It's a single word, but there's no doubt in it, and Tobias feels it all the way through him.

Peter swears, turning away in frustration, and for a split second, Tobias feels bad for him. He can't even imagine how hard it would be to have Tris reject _him_ like this.

But then there's a shift in Peter's body language, one that causes Tobias' stomach to clench painfully and his hands to form fists before he even processes it consciously. The younger man has now adopted a dominating posture, one that reminds Tobias far too much of the way his father always stood.

When he turns back toward Tris, he reaches out so fast that Tobias wouldn't have seen it coming if he hadn't spent so many years learning karate.

Tobias leaps forward, every protective instinct he has on full alert as he moves to intervene. But as it turns out, Tris doesn't need his help. Stepping fluidly to the side, she grabs Peter's hand in a lock, twisting it as she moves around him in a perfectly-executed motion, ending up behind him with his arm held tightly at an angle it does _not_ want to bend. He doubles up in agony, still gripped helplessly in her lock.

"Let me be very clear, Peter," she hisses as she leans closer, applying more pressure and causing him to cry out in pain. "What we had was _never_ love. It was about control, and possessiveness, and torture. I truly hope that you get your life together, and that you never inflict _that_ on anyone else. But no matter what, you and I are _done_. So, you need to _stay_ the _hell_ away from me."

She twists his hand even more, bringing him fully to the ground as he emits strange, anguished gasping sounds. "If you ever try to touch me again," she continues, placing her foot on his back now and clearly applying weight. " _Ever._ I. Will. Kill. You." She gives one more twist. "Got it?"

He nods rapidly, rubbing his face in the dirt in the process as he tries to utter assurances of his understanding in a tortured voice.

Tobias feels like every muscle in his body has frozen in place as he stares at his girlfriend with a new level of awe. If only his mother had done this, or if he himself had, his childhood might have been very different. But clearly neither of them was as strong as Tris.

With a final shove of her hand and foot, Tris turns away from her former boyfriend, leaving him moaning in the dirt. He makes no attempt to rise.

Her eyes meet Tobias' for a long moment, both beyond words, before she links her hand with his and walks away from the man who used to torment her.

By unspoken consent, they leave the crowd behind, moving to a quiet spot that's closer to their hotel.

Finally, Tris pulls him to a stop, meeting his gaze again. "How much of that did you hear?"

He shakes his head a little, not certain if he wants to admit to eavesdropping. Particularly not when she did everything right – staying firm about their relationship while she stood up to her abuser. But he isn't willing to lie to her, either, not in general and definitely not when she's staring at him this way, with her eyes filled with a fierce energy that draws him in like nothing else ever has in his life. _God, she's gorgeous._

"I heard enough," he finally answers, "to know what was going on, and why you did that to him." He squeezes the hand he's still holding. "I was about to cream him when he made that move, but you…." He can't help smiling. "You were incredible."

She hesitates for only a second before her own lips lift in response. "Well, I've had good teachers." The words make his grin spread. She just did more than he ever managed in a similar situation, and she's crediting it to him and Amar? He's never been more attracted to her – or to anyone else for that matter.

"Do you want to get out of here?" he asks as he rubs a hand up and down her bare arm. She's wearing a light summer dress, appropriate for the warm weather, but suddenly he's aware of just how much skin she has exposed.

"No, I'm fine," she reassures him quickly. "He doesn't scare me anymore. I won't let him have that power over me ever again."

Tobias nods, but the truth is that he wasn't even thinking about Peter right then. He decides to say that.

"You misunderstand." His voice is low. "I'm not offering to take you away because you're fragile and need to be protected or anything like that." He leans closer, making sure his words are for her ears alone. "I'm asking because seeing you like that – standing up for yourself and being so strong and confident and fiercely independent – that's got to be the hottest thing I've ever seen."

Her eyes shoot to his before slowly dropping to where he knows the evidence of his reaction is showing. "So," he continues, "I'd _really_ like to go back to the hotel now. Or, you know, find a private spot somewhere." He clears his throat. "Either one."

A smirk spreads across her face as she brings her gaze back up to his. "Well," she murmurs, running a hand teasingly over his chest, "when you put it like that, I'm certainly not going to say no."

* * *

They barely make it through the door of the hotel room before he's grabbing her under the thighs and pressing her against the wall. She's never liked pantyhose, so his fingers find skin easily beneath her dress, and he groans outright when he realizes that she's not even wearing underwear.

By now, he's hard enough for Tris to have difficulty undoing his pants, and he has to set her down briefly so he can push them out of the way himself, along with his boxers. He doesn't bother taking them all the way off – it's not worth the hassle with his shoes, not when every second he's not inside her is an eternity of waiting.

Instead, he lifts her again, plunging into her with some type of guttural sound as her arms and legs wrap around him, her grasp and warmth and wetness welcoming him where he most wants to be. It's a good thing they switched birth control methods, he realizes vaguely, because he's not at all sure he could have waited long enough to get a condom out right now.

"You are incredible, Tris," he moans into her ear as they match each other's pushes and pulls in the ecstasy that is uniquely them. "Strong, and brave, and fierce, and _perfect_."

Her response is less coherent, consisting more of appreciative gasps and groans than actual words, but it's clear that she reciprocates the sentiment wholeheartedly.

"I love you," he adds, his lips finding the corner of her jaw as the rest of his body continues its coordinated thrusts and circles. He may not be particularly intelligible, since he's grunting with each breath rather than speaking fluidly, but he continues anyway. "I never used to think I could feel this way, but you bring it out in me." Her body tightens around him as her breathing quickens, and he knows she's nearing her first peak. "I love you so much, Tris."

Her hands grab at his head, pulling it over to hers as she pants back, "I love you, too, Tobias."

Their lips lock together, trying to keep up with the rest of their bodies as they do their very best to merge into one being, giving and taking in a way he never could have imagined before he met her. He doesn't know how she manages to affect him this way – every single time – but he does know that he never wants it to end. She's made it impossible for him to ever want someone else.

So, as they try to recover afterwards, her legs still wrapped around him while they lean against each other and the wall and struggle to breathe, he no longer fights the words he's been wanting to say for months.

"Will you marry me, Tris?"

There's a pause while she pulls back far enough to look at him, her face showing her incredulity as her eyes move from his down to where they're still joined and then back up again.

"Tobias," she says sternly, "I already can't tell people about our first date, or the first time you said you loved me, or what we did the first day we moved into our apartment. If I can't tell Christina how you _proposed_ , she'll kill me."

She looks him levelly in the eyes. "You need to ask me again later – in a way we can tell our kids about someday."

The response makes him grin despite the lack of an actual answer. "Okay," he says, leaning forward again to rest his forehead on hers. "I will." His voice is quieter when he adds, "Will you say yes?"

The smile that spreads across her face is clearer than any words, but he's reassured anyway when she whispers, "I'll always say yes to you, Tobias."

It draws a response from every part of him, and he lets his lips claim hers again in a long, loving kiss. As far as Tobias is concerned, it's their first kiss as an engaged couple, though he opts not to express that opinion aloud. Instead, he finally steps away from the wall, disconnecting their bodies just enough to set Tris on her feet and to pull his pants up.

"On a completely unrelated subject," he comments as he takes her hand again, examining her fingers with interest. "What size ring do you wear?"

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure when the next chapter will be posted, but at this point I'm expecting to add at least four more chapters, probably five, so it's looking like it will be an even ten. :-) Anyway, please let me know what you thought of this chapter.


	6. Chapter 6: Making the Leap

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the reviews, favorites, and follows! I've been quite amazed at the response to this story. Thank you also to the wonderful BarbaraK2U, who has been beta-reading this story for me!
> 
> This chapter is very short, but it will be followed soon by another one. At this point, I'm planning at least eleven chapters in total. It just keeps growing...

**Chapter 6: Making the Leap**

Tris is far too excited to notice Tobias' increasing discomfort. She keeps her face glued to the window, watching the scenery below them get smaller and smaller the higher the airplane goes.

"I can't believe we're doing this," she calls over the noise of the small propeller craft. "I've _always_ wanted to go parachuting."

Tobias tries to respond, wanting to state that nothing is too good for the love of his life on her birthday, but the sheer force of the gravity between them and the way-too-distant ground seems to make the words too heavy to utter. He knew he was afraid of heights when he decided on this gift, but he didn't realize just how deep that fear ran until now.

"Are you going to make it?" one of the instructors, Megan, asks from across the aisle. Her expression shows unmistakable humor through her concern.

He gives some semblance of a nod, assuming that a millimeter's movement of the head can count as that.

She chuckles, patting his rigid arm reassuringly. "Don't worry. Kyle will get you to the ground safely." Tobias tries to nod again, wondering if he's even capable of movement at this point. At least this is a guided jump, so if he completely freezes on the way down, it won't really matter. Kyle will pull the chute either way.

"Look!" Tris cries enthusiastically, grabbing his arm as she points out the window. But whatever she was about to indicate dies in her throat as she sees his expression.

"Tobias, are you all right?"

"Fine." He's pretty sure he answers aloud, but perhaps he doesn't, given the way her eyes widen as she stares at him.

"Oh, shit," she murmurs. "You're afraid of heights, aren't you?"

"I'd say that one's pretty obvious," Megan answers, chuckling. Tris barely glances at her.

Instead, she leans closer to Tobias, trying to get him to focus on her instead of their surroundings. "Why did you sign us up for this?" she asks, just loudly enough for him to hear her over the constant vibrations thrumming through the aircraft.

This time, he does find his voice, even if it sounds somewhat like a dying cat. "Like you said, you always wanted to do this."

Her gaze locks with his, and he can see the disbelief there, as well as the love and amazement pushing it aside. She leans closer, kissing him fiercely. Unbuckling her seatbelt, she scoots over in her seat until she's partially in his lap. His arms wrap around her automatically, and he buries his face in her hair, breathing in her scent and trying to draw courage from it.

Or at least let it distract him.

"You are incredible, Tobias," she tells him firmly. It's almost enough to make him smile.

* * *

"You don't have to jump," Megan reminds him as he shrinks back yet again from the doorway. "I can still take Tris down, and you can stay in the plane. It's got to land anyway."

"She's right," Kyle says from where he's strapped behind him, just loudly enough for Tobias to hear over the raging wind. "I know you want to do this for your girl, but there are easier ways to ask her."

The words somehow pierce the blind panic that is racing through Tobias, reminding him of exactly why he's here. Tris faced her fear of living with someone for him. He wants to face something equally strong for her.

"Let's…let's just go," he grunts. And no matter how impossible it seems, he finds the strength to do exactly that.

The fall is every bit as terrifying as he expected, his screams lost in the thunderous winds as they plummet toward the ground.

"I don't want to do this, I don't want to do this, I don't want to do this," he repeats over and over until Kyle finally manages to catch his attention.

"I'm going to deploy the chute now," he shouts. "So, you probably want to compose yourself. Your girl will see you when she passes."

Tobias' response is to gulp loudly, trying to swallow his fear enough to face his girlfriend at this crucial moment. Because he knows exactly what she's going to see when his parachute opens.

Kyle tugs, and the chute deploys, yanking at them hard as it abruptly stops their descent. The straps dig into Tobias, but he's too busy noticing their motion to pay much attention. They actually seem to be moving upwards at first, before they start swaying back and forth. It's dizzying, particularly with how much trouble Tobias is already having breathing, but he tries desperately to focus all of his thoughts on the white cloth above them that is keeping death at bay.

The cloth with the words "Marry me?" printed on it in bold, blue letters.

He forces his mind to stay on that question, letting it clear the fear from his expression and replace it with hope. Kyle rotates them expertly so Tobias is facing toward Tris as she drops past him.

Their eyes lock for a brief eternity as gravity draws her farther away from him. She shouts something, but he can't hear her over the air that is buffeting them around. But then her chute deploys, followed almost immediately by a second, smaller chute. He grins wildly when he sees what it says.

"Yes."

It makes the entire drop worthwhile.

__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know what you thought of this chapter. Also, thank you to everyone who voted in my poll (posted on my fanfiction net Windchimed account). I have now closed that. The winner is "Safe House #4," which I was leaning toward writing anyway, so I plan to move forward with that within the next few months. I'm not quite sure if I'll write it with "Divergent" characters or original characters; if you want to make a case for one or the other, please feel free to do that in a review or private message. Thanks again!


	7. Chapter 7: Planning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, and to the wonderful BarbaraK2U, who has been beta-reading this story for me! There was apparently a lot of confusion about the "Yes" parachute in the last chapter. Tris didn't know that Tobias was going to ask her - that response chute was part of the proposal package that Tobias arranged. Basically, the instructor who was with Tris (Megan) could either deploy the "Yes" chute or not, based on what Tris wanted. She deployed it when she heard Tris shouting, "Yes! Absolutely! God, yes!" :-)

** **Chapter 7: Planning** **

"You know, I have nothing against Vegas," Tobias comments as Christina drags out the third book of the day. It's not like he didn't know that a wedding involves a lot of planning – he just never realized there was _this_ much.

"I mean, seriously, do we really need to decide what color napkins to use _and_ what color ink to use for our initials on them? People are going to wipe their mouths with them, not frame them on a wall."

Beside him, Tris gives a snort of laughter. "Sorry, Chris," she mutters, "but we have to draw the line somewhere." She nudges him with her knee before adding, "No monogrammed lip wipes."

Christina's mouth flattens briefly before she huffs, "Fine. Let's just pick the flowers."

But flowers extend to invitations and then to music and finally to Christina's ever-present concern about _The Dress_. By the time she leaves, Tris and Tobias are both thoroughly exhausted and more than a little aggravated with the entire planning effort.

"I have to admit that Vegas is sounding better by the minute," Tris grumbles as she snuggles into Tobias' side on the couch. "At this rate, we're going to have to make five decisions for every guest we invite. And spend some two-hundred dollars for each of them."

She certainly has a point. He has no family that he wants to have anywhere near the ceremony, and Tris' parents died a decade ago. So, she'll have her brother Caleb and his wife Susan there, and they'll invite their friends and a few close coworkers, but that still only brings the total guest list to twenty.

"Eloping works for me," Tobias murmurs as he strokes Tris' hair gently. It's soft and smells good and is always utterly irresistible. "I just want to marry you – I can't say I care much about the rest of it."

Tris smiles against his chest. "That's really all I care about, too." But then she sighs. "Except it feels kind of selfish to just go and get married without our friends. And without Caleb." Tobias can kind of understand that – Tris attended her brother's wedding, after all, and he's sure that Caleb would be hurt if he can't attend theirs.

"We don't have to elope," he says after a moment, "in order to scale back. We can do something simple, with a justice of the peace or something. It doesn't have to be Vegas or Christina's way – there are other options."

They both consider that for a while, before Tris asks, "So, we'd just hold the ceremony at City Hall?"

Tobias shrugs. "Or somewhere else. Justices of the peace will travel to other locations."

Tris nods a little, clearly still thinking. She sits up abruptly at the same time an idea occurs to Tobias. "The DMV," she exclaims. Her eyes meet her fiancé's as they both grin.

"That's exactly what I was thinking," he states.

* * *

It proves to be difficult to schedule an event at the DMV. The space is only open limited hours, and there is no way to reserve it for special activities. On the other hand, no one there seems to be able to find a rule stating that weddings are _not_ allowed on the premises.

So, they finally end up picking the day of the week – and the month – that they hear is usually the quietest, and they plan the ceremony for that time. Their friends think they're a bit nuts for the decision, but that doesn't really bother them. Everything about their relationship has been unconventional, so they might as well continue the trend. It certainly works for them.

They minimize the planning to go with their new venue, selecting simpler clothing and choosing to bring only a single bouquet of flowers. They'll go out to dinner afterwards, they decide, and they reserve a private room in a restaurant without consulting anyone. Christina whines at first, but once she realizes that this is truly what Tris wants, she gives in with more grace than Tobias would have expected.

There's still work involved, though, and Tobias finds himself sorting through the pile of photos and brochures and mail at the end of the week, wondering how even this simple option turned into twenty items on the kitchen counter.

He pauses when he opens an envelope that he initially thought contained more photos, instead finding a short, handwritten letter. His eyes skim the beginning before shock runs through him, and he stumbles onto one of the stools at their eating bar.

_It's from his mother._

He struggles to process what it says, having to read it five times before the meaning can sink in at all. He's still staring at it when Tris gets home.

She joins him uncertainly, giving him a light kiss on the cheek and rubbing soft circles on his back.

"What's wrong?"

"It's…." He looks up at her, unable to form a response. Laying the letter down on the counter, he lets a small shudder pass through his body. "It's from my mom."

Tris' mouth hangs open for a moment before her gaze flies to the paper. " _What_?" The word is strangled, and somehow that fact comforts Tobias. As if it validates his shock and inability to process this.

"She…she says I don't know the full story, and she wants to explain." He shakes his head in confusion. "She wants to have lunch." The words sound utterly inadequate, even laughable. Like a lunch together could erase her absence from most of his life, or change the fact that she left him to be raised by a monster.

"I have no idea what to make of that," Tris whispers. She sits down carefully on the stool next to him, both of them staring at the sheet of paper as if it's a dangerous animal.

"You can read it if you want," Tobias murmurs after a long moment of silence. It's not like it says much beyond what he already told her.

She does, setting it down afterwards only to pick it up again and try a second time. "How did she even find you?" Tris asks abruptly. It's a good question. They don't have a landline that would be listed in the phone book, and they regularly make sure that their address doesn't appear anywhere online, in order to keep their abusers from locating them. Particularly Peter. Marcus isn't likely to come after Tobias now that he's firmly an adult, one with multiple black belts.

For a few seconds, they sit quietly, brows furrowed while they think. Tobias swears when he figures out what must have happened, but he doesn't state his realization aloud in case he's wrong. Instead, he rushes to his laptop, Tris following him nervously and watching as he does a quick search. And there it is, clearly displayed on the newspaper's website.

They had gone back and forth on whether or not to print a public wedding announcement. But Christina insisted that it was a standard part of the wedding process and might even be legally required, and eventually they gave in under the condition that their address wouldn't be included. Either Christina screwed up the instructions, or the newspaper made a mistake when printing it.

Their eyes meet, and there's no mistaking the fear in Tris'. She faced Peter remarkably well at the reunion, but that doesn't mean she wants him knowing where she lives. Who knows when he might show up, and with what type of weapon?

"I'll call the paper," Tobias says firmly, "and get it removed immediately." His expression turns fierce. "You can be the one to kill Christina."

__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that this was another short chapter, but hopefully it was interesting anyway. Please let me know what you thought.
> 
> By the way, the next two chapters will be up fairly soon. In the meantime, I'll also be updating my "Becoming Determinant" story tonight.


	8. Chapter 8: Argument

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, favorited, and/or followed this story! Thank you also to BK2U, who has been doing a wonderful job of beta-reading this story for me.
> 
> This chapter takes a darker turn. Some of you might want to wait and read it with the next one, which will be posted tomorrow.

**Chapter 8: Argument**

They've both been on short fuses lately, between trying to figure out what to do about Tobias' mother and the worry that Peter might have gotten their address before the newspaper removed it and will come after Tris. The tension has caused more than one minor issue to turn into a full-out battle, so it's not a shock when they find themselves all but shouting at each other, snarling and gesticulating and trying to prove themselves right, over something they wouldn't have even bothered complaining about a few weeks ago.

Today, though, proves to be different. It happens when Tobias steps closer to her, running his hands through his hair in frustration and then gesturing wildly as he begins his next point. He's completely unprepared for Tris' reaction.

Her eyes flash panic, and she steps back quickly, raising her hands defensively as a subconscious whimper emerges from deep inside her.

For a moment, he just freezes, his anger dissipating instantly at the all-too-familiar expression on her face. It's the way his mother always looked when his father attacked. Seeing it on Tris, directed at him, rips him apart.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Tris," he says desperately, feeling as if all the air has been sucked from his lungs. If she hears him, there's no indication of it. She moves farther away, her breathing rapid and her hands up and her eyes unfocused, and he knows she's in the middle of a full-fledged panic attack. _One he caused._

"Tris, I swear, I won't hurt you." His voice breaks on the words. He wants nothing more than to take the last few minutes back and remove this fear from the woman he loves. He _never_ wanted to remind her of the bastard who hit her, or to feel like his own father, and yet he's just done both within a remarkably short period of time. It digs all the way through him.

"Tris…." He edges a bit nearer, torn between the deep need to comfort her and the knowledge that his closeness is likely to make things worse.

" _No._ " Her voice is simultaneously fierce and terrified, and it makes his feet root in place again. "Stay back." She's panting now, her body curling in on itself as some type of high-pitched squealing sound emerges between her gasps for air.

"Tris, please let me help," he whispers.

She shakes her head rapidly. "Just go," she insists. "Leave me alone." Their eyes meet for a brief flicker before she shouts it. " _GO!_ "

He does, stumbling out the door without even pausing to grab his coat. Sagging against the wall of the hallway, he stares at their doorknob. Every part of him desperately wants to turn it, to enter their life again and make this right. Hope flares through him when he sees it jiggle, but then he hears the unmistakable sound of the deadbolt locking, and cold sinks through his entire being.

She doesn't want him right now, and there's no way of knowing when she will. The abandoned child inside him can't help feeling like she _never_ will.

He walks through the brisk evening air for hours after that, not caring how much the chill works its way through his bones. He loses track of how many texts he sends to her, apologizing for the fight and reassuring her that he's not like _them_ and that it never would have escalated beyond words. Mostly, he pleads for her to tell him that she's okay. He needs to know that.

But she doesn't answer. He knows that she's probably turned her phone off and hasn't even seen his messages, but that doesn't ease the rejection.

Eventually, he finds his way to a bar in whatever part of town he's in. He's thoroughly lost by now, so it's hardly a surprise that he doesn't recognize the place. It's probably just as well – he certainly doesn't want to talk to anyone he knows at the moment, except of course for Tris.

He drinks in silence, slumped on a stool at the empty end of the bar. It's a weeknight, and the customers slowly filter out as it gets later, until the bartender is moving just between him and a few others left behind. She's probably around his age, with blond hair that looks like it might be bleached and a build not too dissimilar from Tris', though she's taller. Virtually everyone is, really.

"You look like you're having an awful day," she says sympathetically as she serves his latest refill. He's not at all sure how many he's had.

Whatever the number, it's apparently enough to get him to talk, because he actually answers.

"The worst." He takes a swallow, fighting back the unexpected desire to let loose and cry. He _never_ does that, particularly not in public.

"You want to tell me about it?" Her voice is gentle and understanding – the perfect bartender tone.

"No." He doesn't say it viciously, just as a statement of fact. His surly habits may be deep-rooted, but he's already upset too many people for one night.

She nods, not prying. "I've had some rough ones, too." Leaning against the bar, she watches him for a moment before adding, "I'm Lauren."

He almost doesn't respond, but it's usually a bad idea to piss off the person who's serving you liquor, so he finally mutters, "I go by Four." He's not inclined to tell this stranger his real name. Right now, that feels like something just for Tris.

"Unusual nickname." She cocks her head, evaluating him. "But it kind of works for you." He doesn't answer, and she gives him a small smile before returning to another customer.

"So, Four," she says when she comes back to check on him some ten minutes later, "I'm guessing girl trouble?"

She has a soothing voice, and by now, Tobias has drunk enough to have lost his usual verbal filters, so he finds himself responding.

"My fiancée kicked me out." It's a harsh admission, and Lauren gives a low whistle, shaking her head a little.

"Why?"

It's not something Tobias is prepared to answer, but he's spent hours now bottling up his reaction, and it ends up spilling out before he can stop himself.

"She thinks I'm like her ex…." He swallows hard, staring at the countertop. "We were arguing, and she thought I was going to hit her like _he_ did." The words taste bitter in his mouth.

Lauren's expression is serious, and her tone is firmer when she asks, "Does she have a reason to think that?"

" _No._ " It's almost a snarl. "I would _never_ do that." He takes another swig from his glass. "I've been on the receiving end of that shit. I sure as hell wouldn't dish it out on her."

Lauren nods slowly, her mouth flat in some mix of emotions that's hard to read. "Well, I kind of know where she's coming from," she finally says. "I had a friend who went through that, and it took her years to stop having flashbacks." She sighs. "It killed a couple of good relationships in the meantime."

There's no way to deny how much that statement frightens Tobias. He can't lose Tris – particularly not for something he didn't even do.

The bartender must see that on his face, because she adds, "I'm sure that won't happen with you." It's obvious to him that she isn't sure at all.

It adds to the pain that no amount of liquor can dull, and he finds himself voicing that thought, too. "It just hurts, you know? The way she looked at me…."

There's a sadness behind Lauren's eyes, and she gives his arm a few comforting pats. He shies away instinctively, though not as much as he usually does with anyone not-Tris.

She sighs. "It will be all right, Four. Just give it time."

When she takes his next empty glass away, she gives him another evaluating look. "You're going to need to give me your keys if you want anything else to drink," she concludes. "Bar policy."

"I walked here," he states flatly. "So, I couldn't drive even if I wanted to."

She purses her lips before accepting that. "Fair enough. But you'd better give me your phone, anyway."

The request startles him, and he glares at her suspiciously. "Why?"

Her chuckle is low. "Well, for two reasons. First, if you get to the point where I don't think you can leave on your own, it will allow me to call a friend to get you instead of the police. And second, sooner or later, it's going to sound like a _great_ idea to call your fiancée, and trust me, that's really _never_ a good choice."

He opens his mouth to argue, but part of him knows that she's right. Tris told him once that Peter used to hit her when he was drunk, so calling her in his current state would be a huge mistake. Besides, if she hasn't answered his texts yet, she clearly doesn't want to talk to him tonight.

His eyes flicker over his phone briefly as he takes it out, hoping against hope that there's a message from Tris that he somehow missed, but of course there isn't. So, he sighs and looks up Zeke's contact information.

There's a photo of his and Shauna's wedding by the name, and Tobias' eyes cloud a little at the memory of that day, and of his own plans to marry Tris soon. But he swallows hard, handing the phone over before he can dwell on the thought.

"If you need to call someone," he says resignedly, "call Zeke."

"Okay," Lauren says as she takes the phone, setting it on a shelf behind her. "Don't worry, Four. I'll take good care of you."

* * *

The throbbing in his head wakes him up gradually, mixing with the unsettled feeling in his stomach until he has no choice but to sit up. The world spins around him when he does, impossibly bright light piercing his eyes painfully as he tries to get his bearings.

He has no idea where he is.

It's a bedroom – that much is obvious – but it's not one he recognizes. Looking around it doesn't help, either. Instead, his confusion turns to discomfort as he realizes that the room contains entirely too much pink, and that he has no memory whatsoever of what happened last night or of how he got here.

The discomfort turns to outright terror as his gaze takes in the rumpled sheets on the bed, and the clothing strewn across the floor, and his own barely dressed state. He's wearing nothing but his boxers.

_What the hell did he do?_

Stumbling to his feet, he begins retrieving his clothes, his body working on autopilot as he tries to shut out his thoughts long enough to get out of here. But he can't keep his mind from racing through comparisons to every time he's ever awoken in a state like this. It's not like he made a habit of having one-night stands, but they certainly looked like _this_ afterwards.

It's not a concept he can grasp. There's no way he ever would have cheated on Tris. Would he?

The hope sinks when he sees a woman's thong lying near his own pants, and he freezes for a solid few seconds as fierce, blinding panic tears through him. No no no no no. Fuck no. _How could he have done this?_

To make it worse, he doesn't even carry condoms with him anymore, because he doesn't need them with Tris. What has he exposed himself to? Exposed Tris to? This can't be happening….

Somehow, he manages to get his clothes on before staggering out of the bedroom, desperate to escape from here and go somewhere he can think. He has to find a way to fix this, no matter how impossible that seems right now.

"Oh good, you're up." The voice is young and unmistakably female, and his eyes shoot to her with a kind of resigned horror as he takes in her blond hair and petite stature. God, in his drunken state, did he think she was Tris?

"I was wondering if I'd have to douse you in cold water," she adds, laughing a little. But for him, the sight of her is too much. It brings all the turmoil inside him to a raging peak, causing the nausea and vertigo and pounding headache to churn together into an urgent need to get everything out of his system _now_.

He barely makes it to the bathroom before he's heaving into the toilet, emptying his insides the way he wishes he could remove the entire night from his life. He has never regretted anything so much, and he has absolutely no idea how he can ever hope to recover from this.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't kill me...


	9. Chapter 9: Life Lessons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All right, I couldn't make you wait until tomorrow... If you haven't read the last chapter yet, please read that before this one. I just posted it earlier this evening.

**Chapter 9: Life Lessons**

The woman watches him from the doorway of the bathroom, her expression only half sympathetic.

"I didn't think you had anything left in there," she comments as he heaves into the toilet bowl again, trying to ignore her presence. He feels dirty all over, contaminated by his actions in a way that might as well be tattooed onto his skin.

"You threw up a good four times last night," she adds. "It's why we had to move you into the bedroom."

He pulls back enough to slump against the wall, hugging his knees to him in a desperate attempt to comfort himself. It takes a moment for her words to sink in through his muddled brain.

"We?"

She rolls her eyes. "Okay, Uri, since you wouldn't let me anywhere near you."

For him, the sentence hangs in the air, but she seems perfectly at ease as she moves across the bathroom, retrieving a washcloth from a cabinet. "You know, you're lucky that bartender was looking out for you. If she hadn't called Zeke, you'd probably be on the street with hypothermia right now."

She gives a wry chuckle as she runs the washcloth under the faucet. "Or in some woman's bed, after doing something you'd regret forever."

"That's not what this is?" he croaks, unable to process what she's saying.

She stops with the washcloth halfway extended toward him, water dripping onto the floor. There's shock on her face, followed by an abrupt realization. "You have no idea where you are, do you? Or who I am?"

"No. Fucking. Clue."

She _laughs_. "Okay, well, if I'd known that, I would have handled this a little differently." She drops the washcloth onto his hand, where it's holding his knee against his chest, clearly deciding that he's never going to take it on his own. "I'm Marlene. Uriah's girlfriend."

The words don't quite sink in, and he continues to stare blankly as she adds, "We picked you up from the bar last night because Zeke couldn't get there, and we brought you here because it's where we were before he called. And because it was closer than Uri's apartment."

It's as if a switch flips in his brain, and the full meaning of what she's saying drops into him all at once. _He didn't do anything._ The relief is indescribable.

"Where…." He looks past her at the door as if expecting his friend to materialize. "Where's Uriah?"

"At work." She states it like it should be more than a little obvious. "Since it's a _Wednesday_." She glances at the clock on the wall, and his eyes move to it, too. It's almost eleven. "Don't worry – we found your work number in your phone and called in sick for you. And I don't have to get to my job until three o'clock today. So, I can help you get your hung-over ass back home."

For the first time since he woke up, he lets himself think about seeing Tris again. It's an enormously easier prospect now than it seemed ten minutes ago, but it's still utterly daunting.

"I'm not sure I'm welcome there." His voice is very quiet.

Marlene sighs, leaning against the sink as she evaluates him. "Lesson number one on living with someone…." She gives him a small smile. "When your partner freaks out over something minor and kicks you out, you _go back the next day_. Because once they've had a chance to calm down and think it through, they want to see you again."

She looks him in the eye. "I mean, think about it. You don't care what you fought over anymore, do you? You just want to see Tris again, right? What makes you think she feels any differently?"

The words send a startling amount of hope through him. "Does she know where I am?" he finds himself asking.

"Yeah, Uri texted her and Christina. I don't know if he told them how wasted you were."

The first part catches his attention. "Christina?"

Marlene rolls her eyes again. "Okay, lesson number two." She grins, but then her expression grows serious again. "When your fiancée has a flashback to something traumatic, and she won't let you help her with it, you call her best friend. Christina went over there as soon as she found out."

Tobias isn't sure if that thought is comforting or not. What he wants most is for Tris to be okay, and if Christina helped accomplish that goal, it might almost make up for the newspaper debacle. But he still wishes that none of this had happened. And that Tris had trusted him enough to let him be there for her.

"Is she all right?"

Marlene gives him a gentle smile. "I imagine so. Your phone has been getting texts all morning, though I haven't read them."

Tobias is on his feet so fast it makes him dizzy. Literally. Marlene reaches out quickly to steady him, sighing when he tenses away from her hand.

"I'm not making a move on you, you know," she mutters in frustration. "Any more than I was last night. I mean, it's great that you're so loyal to Tris even when you're too drunk to stand, but it was seriously a pain to get you back here. You wouldn't let anyone except Uri near you, and you barely tolerated him."

It's perhaps a little childish that Tobias feels proud of that fact. Maybe his first instinct this morning was right after all – he would _never_ cheat on Tris.

"Come on," Marlene says as she guides him out of the bathroom despite his stiffness. "Your phone is in the living room."

He gets gradually steadier as they walk, though it's a relief to sag onto the couch. His eyes are glued to the phone the moment Marlene hands it to him.

There are four texts from Tris.

8:02 a.m. – I'm sorry.

8:35 a.m. – It was a total overreaction, and I know it. I just panicked.

9:14 a.m. – I'm staying home today. Please come back.

10:06 a.m. – I'm so sorry.

His hands are shaking badly, making it difficult to type, but he finds a way. "Just woke up. Not going to work. On my way." He pauses for a fraction of a second before adding, "I love you, Tris."

* * *

He hesitates outside their door, wondering suddenly if he should knock or use his key. The question is answered when Tris opens it.

For a long moment, their eyes lock, and then she's pressing herself into his embrace as his arms wrap around her. They both hold on tightly.

"I'm so sorry, Tobias." Her whisper is muffled against his chest.

"It doesn't matter, Tris. None of it does. I don't even remember what we were arguing over, and I don't care. I just want to be with you."

He can feel her nodding against him and can feel her tears soaking into his shirt. He pulls her closer.

"I never meant to scare you." His voice breaks on the words. "I just…I didn't even think. I should have been more careful."

"No," she insists. "You weren't yelling any more than I was. This wasn't your fault." He can feel her swallow. "Something just clicked wrong, and all I could think about was Peter and…some of the things he did." The pain in her voice tears pieces out of him.

She draws back, looking past him as she apparently realizes that their door is still open and that they're standing in the middle of the doorway. She closes it, relocking it before taking his hand and leading him to their couch. He sits, pulling her into his lap because he can't stand any distance between them right now.

"There are things I haven't told you," she whispers. He knows how hard it is for her to admit that. "Details about what Peter did…. I don't like to talk about it, for obvious reasons, and I've always assumed that you wouldn't want to hear it. But after last night…I think maybe you need to know."

His arms tighten around her, and he presses his face into her hair.

"There are things you haven't told me, too, right?" she asks softly. "About your parents." It's all he can do to nod. She does the same. "We…we have to change that, Tobias. We're going to be married. We need to understand each other's triggers and figure out how to help each other. And we can't keep fighting over nothing."

Tobias doesn't respond at first. He knows that she's right, and part of him is beyond relieved that she's still talking about marrying him. But at the same time, it's already unbearable to think about what Tris endured, and that's without knowing the details. Plus, he certainly doesn't want to share his own miserable childhood.

Still, when he draws back far enough to meet her gaze, he realizes that there's no way he can say no. This is what she needs to feel safe, and it's what they both need to avoid another incident like yesterday's. He's never talked to anyone about just what his father did or how it affected him, and there's no way to pretend that it's healthy to bottle all that up.

His eyes hold Tris' as he gently brushes her hair behind her ear. "Okay," he agrees. It's probably the longest word he's ever spoken, but it's worth it to see the way her expression changes. She almost always looks at him with love, but this time, there's far more there. There's trust and acceptance and a depth of relief that echoes all the way through him.

It reassures him that however difficult it will be to deal with their pasts, they can do it together. And in that moment, he has no doubt that they'll emerge even stronger for it.

__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry - I know that was mean, but there's a reason for it all... Anyway, I hope you liked how it turned out. The next chapter will be a while longer, but it's looking like there will be 12 chapters total. In the meantime, I'm not entirely sure I dare ask for reviews...


	10. Chapter 10: The Mother Load

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last two chapters, and to the wonderful BK2U, who has been tirelessly beta-reading this story for me despite the way it keeps getting longer! I really appreciate the help.
> 
> This chapter is much less evil than the last two, but it does focus heavily on the theme of abuse, so if that's a trigger for you, be warned.

**Chapter 10: The Mother Load**

It takes almost three months before Tobias decides to contact his mother. Tris is patient with him throughout the process, listening to his arguments for and against the idea and periodically asking him questions that make him rethink everything. Her own opinions seem to vary as much as his, based largely on what else they've been discussing from their pasts at that time.

It's not surprising that Tris would identify with Evelyn sometimes, given the similarities to how Peter treated her. But eventually Tobias comes to realize that his own view is based on the same comparisons. When their discussions move to the incredibly difficult topic of sexual abuse, for instance, Tobias is fully prepared to excuse his mother for anything and everything she's ever done, based on even the remotest chance that Marcus did those same things to her.

He barely sleeps for days after that particular set of revelations, only managing a few hours at a time by working out at the gym until his legs are rubbery and his knuckles are bleeding. He alternates between imagining that the punching bags are Peter and Marcus.

Tris joins him there after he describes the time his whipped back became infected from his own feces, after Marcus beat him to a pulp and then locked him in a dark closet for three days. By the time he emerged, he was so dehydrated and covered with pus, his father was forced to tend to his wounds or risk having him die – and being charged with murder.

Tobias was nine at the time, dazed by his mother's abandonment, but he still knows exactly which scars are left from the incident. Tris traces them over and over, almost obsessively, as she lies awake the night after that conversation.

There's a stretch where it seems like neither of them will run out of horror stories to tell, but gradually, they somehow get through the worst of it. And with that, Tobias finds himself feeling stronger in ways he didn't expect. He's more aware now that he's a survivor – that no matter how much Marcus tried to take him down, the monster failed.

Tris is quick to remind him of that, and to tell him that he's a far better human being than his father. From his own perspective, Tobias knows that his life is way beyond anything he imagined during his childhood. And most importantly, he knows that he loves and is loved in a way that Marcus will never experience. Every time he looks at Tris, he feels the full effect of that reality.

For her part, Tris seems more secure now, too. There's a new confidence in the way she walks, and she's so proud when she receives her green belt that she actually invites her friends to the ceremony. She touches Tobias more freely than ever, too, with a complete and utter trust that warms him through his entire being.

So, when Tobias finally announces that he'd like to have his mother over for lunch, Tris solemnly agrees. Unfortunately, the options for actually contacting her are limited, since she gave him nothing but a phone number to work with – and he can't bring himself to let a _phone_ conversation be the first discussion they have in decades.

He's relieved when Tris offers to do it for him, even if he does go a bit nuts listening to his fiancée's side of the call without hearing Evelyn's responses.

He's a nervous wreck when the actual day arrives, convinced that she'll hate him or he'll hate her, or more likely both. It doesn't help when things start out awkwardly. Evelyn stares at him, reaching for him a couple of times as if she wants to hug him or at least shake his hand or maybe just ensure he's real. But she draws back each time, clearly uncertain how to proceed.

Tobias, in turn, is struggling between the desire to embrace his long-lost mother and to stay far away from the abandoning traitor, and he's sure he's radiating signals that should send her scrambling for the hills.

Eventually, she takes an uneasy seat, perched on the edge of a chair while Tobias and Tris take the couch, their nearness comforting each other in the presence of this unknown element.

"You seem to be doing well, Tobias," Evelyn starts hesitantly, her eyes flitting around the comfortable apartment. He nods once, very stiffly. "What…what sort of work do you do?"

"I'm a computer programmer," he mutters.

"Oh." She stares at her hands, and he wonders if she actually heard him. "That's good." After a moment, she glances up again. "I'm not surprised. You were always so smart as a child."

He can't help the bitterness in his reply. "I guess I avoided brain damage from all the beatings."

Evelyn flinches, and Tris takes Tobias' hand, squeezing it firmly. He's not sure if it's a reminder that she's there for him or that he should at least _try_ to be friendly.

"He didn't…" Evelyn stutters, her expression filled with a disbelief that looks obviously fake to Tobias. "Surely he didn't continue that after I left?"

It seems like the most blatantly idiotic statement he's ever heard, and he snaps his reply. "It got far worse." His voice drops to a growl. "But you know that. You _must_ have known that if you took away one of his punching bags, he'd double up on the other."

She wrings her hands together, refusing to look up as she answers. "I swear, Tobias, I thought he would stop. It was always me he was angry at. He _always_ blamed me."

"Abusers usually blame their victims," Tris states comfortingly, but given the way her hand is gripping Tobias', he's not sure which of them she's trying to reassure. "Didn't they talk about that at the shelter?" Her gaze is level on Evelyn's. "Didn't they warn you that Tobias wouldn't be safe with his father?"

His mother shakes her head quickly. "I didn't go to a shelter. It would have been too dangerous, given all of Marcus' contacts. He would have found me there."

There's silence for a moment at that, before Tris asks, "Where did you go?" There's an edge to her voice that Tobias can't quite identify.

Evelyn stiffens, her expression evasive now. "I stayed with…a friend. One Marcus didn't know."

The excuse rankles something inside Tobias. If his mother had a friend who was willing to take the risk of helping her – one his father didn't know about – why wouldn't she have taken him, too?

Evelyn seems to read his mind.

"I thought you'd be better off with Marcus," she stammers, sounding even less convincing now. "I didn't have any money to take care of you, and I honestly believed that he would be kinder without me there. That you'd be safe. And I _had_ to leave." She looks at him desperately. "He would have killed me if I hadn't."

Tobias shakes his head firmly. "No one is saying you shouldn't have left. But you couldn't possibly have been dumb enough to imagine I'd be _safe_ with him."

Tris interrupts before his mother can respond. "It wasn't a friend, was it?" Her hand grips his like a vice. "It was a boyfriend."

The words slam into Tobias, and he knows immediately that they're true. His father made so many comments over the years – hints and accusations and insults about his wife – that it's not hard to believe she was unfaithful. Particularly given the guilt on his mother's face right now.

There's anger in Tris' tone as she presses on. "Did he even know you had a child? Or was he only willing to take you by yourself – was that it?"

It sparks a retort from Evelyn. "You have _no idea_ what my life was like. Marcus was planning to _kill_ me. I had to run, and Tony was the only person who could possibly have protected me. Marcus had far too much power for any other option to work."

Tobias' entire body goes rigid at the admission, and at the realizations that are starting to work their way through him. "You didn't want a court battle, did you?" he finally snarls. "You left me there to avoid that. Because it was easier for you to get away without me."

Evelyn looks dumbstruck, guilt radiating from her entire form. "Marcus never would have let you go…. And he had people who would have lied for him, who would have sworn that Tony was the one who gave us all those injuries. There was nothing I could do."

"So you didn't even _try_?" The words are a roar of rage, and Tobias is on his feet as he shouts them. "You just ran away, knowing _exactly_ what he would do to me afterwards? How he would retaliate?"

He turns away, ripping his shirt off and exposing his scarred back, making sure his mother sees the full impact of her abandonment. "Do you have _any idea_ how many times he almost _killed_ me?" he growls over his shoulder.

In that instant, Tris is on her feet, too, her hands soothing on Tobias' back and side as she murmurs something he can't seem to hear right now.

Evelyn's voice cuts through his thoughts. "If I'd stayed, you would have had to watch me _die_. Is that what you wish had happened?"

Tobias can feel the movement as his fiancée turns to face his mother. "I think it's time for you to leave." Her voice is firm and fierce and protective all at once, and he loves her more than ever for it.

But Evelyn clearly isn't ready to give up yet. "Don't look at me like that," she snarls. "You have no right to judge me. You can't imagine what my life was like."

It's the wrong thing to say, and there's barely a pause before Tris answers. "I know _exactly_ what your life was like." Her tone adds a new definition to coldness. "I was in that same position a few years ago. Which is why I know I would _never_ leave a _child_ in a situation like that. You can make all the excuses you want, but you did what was best for _you_ , not _him_. And _he's_ the one who suffered for it."

In an odd way, Tobias draws strength from the words. Perhaps it's because he and Tris have been describing their pasts to each other, and he's so used to having her presence heal him afterwards. Regardless, he turns back around, able to face his mother as long as his fiancée is by his side. Vaguely, he realizes that they're all standing now, and he finds himself pressing close to Tris, continuing to take comfort from her nearness.

Evelyn's eyes move back and forth between them, anger and jealousy and desperation causing her expression to grow more and more livid as the long seconds pass.

"Tobias," she finally begins, "you have to believe me. I am your _mother_. Your _family_. And I would never just abandon you, despite what this _stupid_ girl may think."

Whatever point she was attempting to make is lost to Tobias' fury. Moving past Tris, he glares Evelyn down. "Get the _hell_ out of here," he growls. For a moment, his mother opens her mouth to protest, but he continues ferociously. "Tris is the _only_ reason you're here at all, the _only_ reason I was willing to give you _any_ kind of a chance. _She_ is my family, not you and certainly not Marcus." With a withering look, he adds, "I will _not_ put up with you insulting her."

It's a resounding statement, and it echoes through the silence in the room afterwards as both women stare at him, shocked.

"Tobias," his mother tries again, sounding suddenly small. "I wasn't trying to…. She doesn't know what she's talking about, that's all."

But he just shakes his head. "No more excuses. It's time for you to leave. Again." His eyes are almost black as he gestures unambiguously toward the door. "It's what you're best at, after all."

And slowly, hesitantly, she does. She looks back multiple times, fidgeting in a clear desire to fix this or change it or somehow make it go the way she wanted. But she doesn't come up with a way, and eventually she walks out of their apartment, closing the door behind her.

Tobias makes a point of locking the deadbolt before leaning his forehead against the hard wood panel, trying to collect his thoughts. He can feel Tris coming up behind him, standing a few feet away as she watches him uncertainly.

"You didn't have to kick her out for me, you know," she murmurs after a moment.

A humorless laugh comes out of him. "Tris, you are the best thing in my life. _No one_ is allowed to mess with you."

He faces her, taking in the wildness of her expression – filled with love and protectiveness and residual anger. It makes her even more beautiful than usual.

Taking her hand, he leads her back to the couch, sitting down and pulling her into his lap. He just wants her presence right now.

She wraps her arms around him, pulling him close. "I love you so much, Tobias." The whisper breaks partway through, but he ignores that, instead seeking out her lips and kissing her deeply.

"I love you, too, Tris."

They're silent for a long moment, breathing each other's air and taking strength from the contact between them.

"And for the record," Tris adds softly, "I would never cheat on you. That's not the kind of person I am."

He pauses, thinking about how much damage his mother did to him with her affair, and about that awful morning three months ago that cemented his own view on the subject.

"There's something I should tell you," he begins before realizing that's a terrible start. Tris pulls back sharply, her eyes accusing as she stares at him in shock.

"No," he adds quickly, "not that. I didn't mean…. God, no, Tris." It takes several long seconds before she accepts his verbal diarrhea as reassurance. She nods warily, still maintaining a little distance as he attempts to continue.

"But that night, when I scared you by mistake and you kicked me out, I got really, _really_ drunk. The most drunk I've ever been. Uriah and Marlene took me back to her apartment, as you know, but I didn't remember that at all when I woke up in the morning. Instead, I got up in some strange woman's apartment, in her bed, with my clothes scattered all over the floor."

He swallows hard. "I thought I'd…. Well, you can imagine what I thought. And Tris, it was the single worst moment of my life." He meets her eyes guiltily. "Not all the times my father beat me, or locked me in the closet. Not when I had to watch him beat my mother. Not even when she left." He shakes his head. "No, thinking that I'd betrayed you, and that I'd lose you because of it – that was the absolute worst feeling I've ever experienced."

Her expression softens, and she touches his cheekbone gently. He clears his throat before adding, "As it turns out, I wouldn't let anyone but Uri near me, but I still decided right then that I would never get drunk again. And I can absolutely guarantee you that I will _never_ cheat on you."

He places his hands on either side of her face, pulling her closer as he whispers, "I want you to understand that I am not like either of my parents. And I swear to you that I never will be."

"I know," she answers, her eyes still managing to hold his even though they're barely inches apart. "Of course I know that, Tobias. It's a large part of why I love you."

He smiles as he brings her the rest of the way to him, his lips claiming hers. It takes a long time before he speaks again. "Only part, huh?" he murmurs as his mouth moves slowly along her jawline, playing along all the sensitive spots on the way.

Her hands run up the muscles of his abdomen before splaying across his chest. "Well," she says lightly, "I have to leave some room for the whole Four thing."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are still at least three chapters left in this story, since yet another one has worked its way into my mind. I think that 13 will probably be it, but then again, I thought this was just a one-shot, so who knows... Anyway, please let me know what you thought of this chapter. Your reviews really do encourage me tremendously. :-)


	11. Chapter 11: Names

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, favorited, and/or followed this story! Thank you also to my wonderful beta reader, BarbaraK2U, and to CupcakeCutie90, who contributed an idea to this chapter (more info on that is below).

**Chapter 11: Names**

She's in their favorite position, partially reclined on the pillow they bought online – the one that lifts her to the perfect height for Tobias to be on his knees between her legs. Her entire front is open to him this way, providing easy access for his hands and mouth. She can reach him just as readily, and she rakes her fingertips down his back as she arches upwards, making little sounds of pleasure with each of his thrusts.

It's a good thing she keeps her nails short, he reflects as his tongue swirls around her left nipple again. Otherwise, she would undoubtedly have added to his scars by now.

"Yes! Right there!" she gasps, her entire body tensing with anticipation as she approaches her fourth peak. "Don't stop." In truth, he needs that encouragement, because he's barely hanging on, his own pleasure getting desperate to spill. But it's become a matter of pride to live up to his nickname as often as possible, and she's so close now. So, he tries to ignore the way she's pulling at him, and the way she feels around him, and the way her scent fills the air as much as her quick breaths do. God, the things she does to him….

He almost doesn't make it, but finally she tightens with the last edge of her buildup, and then her hips buck into him wildly, her legs wrapping around him as her hands clutch at his back in her desire to pull him into her very being. His response is instant, her name a growl on his lips as he embeds himself in her as deeply as possible, his body contorting inside her in his own paroxysm of ecstasy.

It takes several minutes before either of them regains the energy to move, and then it's only to collapse onto the bed, their bodies tangled together in a mass of slick skin and exhausted limbs.

"Beatrice Prior," he finally manages to say, "you are incredible."

He can feel her smile more than he can see it from this angle. "You know," she murmurs, "you're not going to be able to call me that much longer."

The words draw a small frown out of him. "Well, I sure as hell don't want to keep Eaton," he answers a bit sharply. Really, between his two parents, there's _nothing_ appealing about his current surname.

They shift so their eyes can meet as they both realize that they've somehow never thought to discuss what last name they'll be using. "I assumed we were sticking with Prior," Tobias says uncertainly. "You know, since your parents weren't horrible human beings or anything."

Tris swallows. "That's true, and I appreciate the thought, but…." Her voice trails off, and Tobias knows where she's going before she adds, "Beatrice Prior is not a common name. Even if Peter didn't see our address in the paper, I don't want to spend the rest of my life wondering if he might find me somewhere, sometime."

"Yeah." Tobias lays his head down again, staring at the ceiling. Not for the first time, he wishes that it was easier to prove abuse and to get someone sent to jail for it. But the odds aren't good that either of them could get their personal monster incarcerated at this point, so long after the fact. "So, what do we do?"

"Did you know any of your grandparents?" Tris suggests after a minute. "Maybe we could use one of their names?"

"Never even met them." Marcus didn't want his wife and son around anyone who might have helped them, so they lived an isolated life.

Tris sighs. "I knew two of mine, but one was Grandpa Prior and the other was Grandma Fauschnautelbum."

Tobias can't help his snort of laughter. "Okay, as much as I hate Eaton, we are _not_ going with Fauschnautelbum."

"No," Tris confirms, her own giggle joining his, "we're not."

She rolls over, her hand drawing circles on Tobias' chest while they both think. "We could make up a new name," he eventually offers. "People do that sometimes."

"What, like combining ours? Preaton, or something like that?"

He gives a low chuckle. "That's mildly better than Eator." She laughs, too. "But actually I meant just taking another name altogether, one we pick."

"Hmm…." Her lips curve upwards. "Quattro? Or Black, for your karate skills?" A teasing look lights her eyes. "How about Fortress?"

He looks down at her, not getting the joke. "Fortress?"

"Four-Tris," she spells out, grinning more widely now.

He groans. "That one's too bad even for me." His mouth twitches at the corner. "And I love bad puns."

"Okay, a synonym then. Castle."

Tobias debates between rolling his eyes and shaking his head before settling on, "Tris Castle is a mouthful. And Four Castle sounds downright weird."

"Foreman!" Tris states abruptly, sitting up partway so she can see him better.

He considers that for a few seconds. "It would certainly make my nickname easier for people to accept, though they'd probably spell it wrong. And make a lot of jokes about foreplay."

"Well, you _are_ exceptionally talented in that department," Tris answers with a smirk.

"What about Forester?" Tobias asks, mulling the sound of it. "Tris and Tobias Forester. I kind of like that."

Tris debates it for a moment, too. "Everyone can spell it, but it's not hugely common. And it goes well with a lot of first names." She nods thoughtfully. "It's a nice, versatile name. Tobias and Tris Forester."

She lies back, her own eyes focused on the ceiling now. "Do you have any favorite names for kids? We should make sure those work with it, too."

Tobias doesn't answer for long enough that her gaze seeks him out again. He bites the inside of his cheek before responding slowly. "Honestly, I always swore I wouldn't have kids, Tris. After…. Well, the reasons are pretty obvious." He reaches out, his fingers lightly tucking her hair behind her left ear. "But with you…things are different. So, I guess I'm open to the possibility."

She gives him a small, tender smile that tugs at something deep inside his chest. His voice is low as he adds, "But I definitely don't have any names picked out. Do you?"

"Dmitri, Maria, and Violet." The answer is so quick it takes him a moment to get it.

"DMV?" He laughs. "And here I was thinking you'd go with four kids…."

She rolls onto her side again, nestling her head into the crook of his arm. "That would just be greedy, Tobias."

He's silent at that, waiting to see if she gets more serious. And eventually she does, clearing her throat before saying, "I'd like to consider using my parents' names. Andrew and Natalie." The words catch a little as she says them.

Tobias nods, pulling her more tightly against him. He knows how much her parents meant to her, and this is undoubtedly her way of keeping them close while changing her last name. "Those both work well with Forester," he tells her steadily.

Her body stiffens a bit at his acceptance, and he can tell from her breathing that she's fighting back tears. It's been a long time since her parents died, but the pain is clearly still there. He can't quite imagine what that's like.

Leaning down, he kisses the top of her head gently, his thumb brushing softly under her eyes. "Are we agreed then?" he murmurs.

"Yeah." Her voice breaks on the word, but suddenly she's propping herself up to look at him. It's unusual, because she typically hates to be seen crying, thinking it makes her seem weak. He knows that meeting his gaze right now is a sign of how deeply she trusts him.

"Do you have any idea how much I love you, Tobias?" she whispers.

The words pull his heart straight into her hands, but that's not a problem. It's always belonged to her anyway.

"Yes," he answers without hesitation. "Believe me, Tris, every single part of me knows exactly what it feels like to love that way."

Their lips find each other, their bodies pressing together as his proves the truth of his words. Every part of him truly does love her. And as they repeat their activities from a half-hour earlier, it occurs to him that he might need a new nickname after tonight.

But you know, Eight Forester has quite a nice ring to it….

__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again to CupcakeCutie90, who suggested the idea of them naming their kids with the initials DMV! I loved the idea and decided to incorporate it here.
> 
> There are still two chapters left in this story, but it will probably be a week or more before I post the next one, since I haven't finished drafting it yet. In the meantime, please take a moment to let me know what you thought of this chapter. Thanks!


	12. Chapter 12: Bachelor Party

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all of your reviews, favorites, and follows! Your support makes such a difference. Thank you also to the wonderful Barbara2KU, who has been my beta reader for this story.
> 
> M1129 inspired part of this chapter. If you haven't read her stories yet, definitely check her out. She's fantastic!

**Chapter 12: Bachelor Party**

They're all in good moods by the time they make their way to dinner. It had been years since Tobias played paintball, but it was a decidedly fun choice for his bachelor party. It helps that they won, too, beating out another group that was just a little bigger than theirs.

"This is a bar," Tobias says with a frown as Zeke holds the door open for the others, "not a restaurant."

"It's probably a familiar-looking one at that," Uriah quips, grinning. A cold feeling runs through Tobias as he recognizes the place he went to _that_ night. "But seriously, it has great food. Mar and I have eaten here several times since you… _introduced_ us to it."

Tobias hesitates for another moment, but really, he can't blame the bar for his decision to get drunk that night. And, in fact, he owes the bartender a considerable debt of gratitude for keeping him out of trouble. So, he shrugs as he follows his friends into the building, deciding that maybe this is a good opportunity to associate better memories with this place.

That certainly happens throughout dinner. Uriah and Zeke are at their funniest, and the others seem to feed off their hilarity, particularly as most of them drink more and more. Tobias is the lone holdout, choosing to have three drinks with his meal and then just nurse a fourth for the rest of the evening. At his size, that gives him a pleasant buzz without getting him drunk.

His best friend isn't happy with the decision. "Oh, come on," Zeke whines after the third time Tobias flatly turns down more liquor. "It's your _bachelor party_ , man. Live it up a little."

"It's his choice," Amar tells the younger man, scowling a bit. "If he doesn't want to get drunk, leave him alone."

"Yeah," Uriah comments as he pats his brother companionably on the back. "Give the guy a break. He's just worried that he'll end up 'sleeping' with my girlfriend again."

The comment makes Zeke snort with laughter. "Still wish I had a photo of his face that morning."

Uriah grins. "Me, too. If only I'd stayed home from work…."

"That would have been counterproductive," George points out with a smirk. "If he'd seen _you_ , he would have known where he was, and that he hadn't done anything wrong."

"True, true…" Uriah admits as he takes another sip of his beer.

"Isn't this supposed to be _my_ party?" Tobias asks pointedly, getting more than a little tired of the conversation.

"Yeah, yeah…" Zeke answers, winking at his best friend. "You can cry if you want to."

* * *

"Would you just trust me for once?" Zeke is sputtering an hour later, as he tries yet again to get Tobias to go into the private room at the back of the bar. Their reservation started ten minutes ago.

"No," his friend answers solidly. "Because I know damned well what's in there, and I already told you I'm not interested." He's keenly aware of the insecurities that Tris struggles with after everything Peter did to her. He's not going to add to those by watching a stripper right before their wedding.

"Look, you asshole, it's not what you think," Zeke insists stubbornly, his words slurring only a little despite the amount of alcohol he's consumed.

Tobias arches a skeptical eyebrow. "Really. So, there's not a semi-clad woman waiting in there to entertain me?"

"Well…" Zeke starts uncomfortably, his face flushing as their tablemates laugh at him. "Look, it's seriously different than what you're thinking, but I can't tell you without ruining the surprise."

Tobias is the one to snort this time. "Yeah, right."

"I mean it!" There's undeniable frustration in Zeke's voice now, and he turns to the others in appeal.

"You want me to go see for you?" Amar asks, cocking his head at Tobias. "It's not like anyone is going to get upset if _I_ look at a naked lady." Beside him, George guffaws, almost choking on the gulp he was taking from his beer.

Zeke, on the other hand, goes remarkably pale despite how dark his skin is. "No!" he snaps immediately. "No one but Four can go in there. That would be…bad. Really, really bad."

The comment piques Tobias' curiosity, but not enough for him to go look. He promised Tris that this party wouldn't get out of hand, and he is determined to always keep his promises to her.

So, he simply crosses his arms over his chest and leans even further back in his seat, making himself comfortable.

"Argh," Zeke complains, pulling at his hair in frustration. "You're…God, you're a pain sometimes, Four." Throwing his hands in the air, he marches off – though not to the room he's been trying to get Tobias to enter.

When he returns several minutes later, Tobias is more than a little surprised to see _Christina_ with him.

She gives him an inscrutable look –something that manages to be angry, admiring, and amused all at once. "I'm going to tell you this once," she says clearly, "and only once. And you're going to listen. Get your butt in there. _Right now._ "

There's complete silence in the group as the two stare each other down. Finally, slowly, Tobias rises to his feet. Christina is supposed to be running Tris' bachelorette party tonight, which means that whatever she's trying to get him to do must be related to that. And that certainly changes the dynamic.

Still, he's hesitant as he makes his way to the door, looking back over his shoulder twice. Christina gives him a sharp hand gesture the second time, clearly pushing him to hurry.

He pauses in the doorway, looking into the dimly-lit room as he decides if he's willing to enter it. It's not reassuring when he sees a chair sitting in a circle of light that also illuminates what seems to be a portable metal pole.

"What the hell, Christina?" he calls to her.

The answer comes from inside the room instead. "Get in here and shut the door, Tobias." It's a woman's voice, sounding from somewhere within the dark recesses of the space, and he finds himself abruptly grinning in response. _Tris._

She stays out of sight as he steps inside, closing the door firmly behind him. He has his suspicions now about what's happening, and he finds his heart rate speeding up in anticipation as he makes a point of locking the door.

"Sit down," Tris' disembodied voice tells him, and he feels excitement through every nerve of his body as he obeys.

His guess is proven right when the music starts. Tobias hasn't been to a strip club in years, but he knows that this particular song is ideal for that purpose, and his eyes eagerly search the darkness for his fiancée. But no matter what mental images he's already started to form, he's still not prepared for the reality when he sees it.

Tris emerges from the shadows, dressed in an extremely skimpy black leather outfit. Fishnet stockings cover her legs above a pair of black stilettos, and he finds himself staring at where they disappear under the mini-skirt that barely covers her butt. Her long hair is loose, hanging in waves behind her, and she's wearing a shade of red lipstick that he's never seen on her before.

She looks _amazing_.

"You're late," she tells him, setting her fists on her hips as she stands in front of him, her head held high in a manner that emphasizes her chest, and her legs spread into a solid stance. That position alone is enough to make him start getting hard. "Christina went to all the trouble of arranging 'dance' lessons for my bachelorette party." She moves closer, her hips swaying, and leans down so he has a good view of her cleavage. "And you don't even show up to appreciate the results."

_He is so fucking turned on right now._

"I think maybe I should just skip the show," she breathes at him, leaning even closer. He can smell her perfume now, and that combined with everything else makes it difficult to respond.

"Okay," he manages to rasp, his hands finding her hips and pulling her toward his lap. He could get off just by having her sit there at the moment.

"Nuh-uh," she tells him, lightly tapping his hands away. She tries hard to keep her face straight as she wags a scolding finger at him, but she can't seem to keep the corners of her mouth from lifting. "No touching the dancer."

"Oh, that is _not_ going to work," he growls back, his eyes roaming up and down his fiancée. "Damn, you look good, Tris."

Her smile widens a little, and she turns away to hide it, waving her rear at him invitingly as she sashays toward the pole. Looking over her shoulder at him, she says, "Tell you what. I'll dance if you stay still. Deal?"

His head nods on its own, though he doubts very much that he can keep his end of that bargain. Nevertheless, he's glad he agreed once she starts. He doesn't know who Christina brought in to give them "lessons," but Tris certainly learned well…..

He's as hard as a rock by the time she wraps herself around the pole for the third time, looking sexier than any professional he's ever seen. And he can't help fidgeting in his seat each time she makes her way closer to him, particularly whenever she removes an item of clothing and throws it his way.

By the time she's down to a black, lacy bra and matching underwear, it's impossible to find a comfortable position, no matter how much he adjusts his pants.

She moves closer again, leaning down to give him a good view as she takes her hands and caresses her own breasts, slowly removing her bra in the process. He literally sucks his breath in, forgetting to let it back out as he stares wide-eyed at the sight. He can't remember _ever_ seeing anything that hot.

With a sly smile, she turns around, straddling him as she grinds her hips back and forth over the part of him that's reaching most for her. He squirms with the need to have his hands on her and with the burning desire to plunge deep inside her, but somehow he resists long enough for her to walk away. Swaying sexily, she works her underpants down, finally kicking them off and twirling around the pole stark naked.

He's panting now, feeling so far beyond rigid that he may as well be a statue. His eyes seem to be the only part of him still capable of movement as they follow her desperately, watching her circle back to him. She walks around him this time, her fingers tracing along his chest and shoulders, before she grinds on his lap again, facing him this time.

"Tris," he groans, his hands finding their way to her perfect butt despite the earlier prohibition. "I'm going to explode if you keep this up."

A coy smile traces her lips, and she reaches down, slowly undoing his jeans as she continues to move just above his lap. "Well, we'd better do something about that," she murmurs seductively.

It takes every bit of his remaining self-control to wait while she removes his clothing enough for him to reach her. And then he's pulling her onto him, his body thrusting up into her as his hands tighten on her hips.

"You are so fucking beautiful," he breathes as he assists her in her up and down movements, feeling her squeeze around him. "I can't believe I get to marry you."

She smiles against his neck. "I've got to say," she exhales onto his skin, "that was a lot of fun."

The words draw a deep groan from him, causing his tenuous control to slip away even more. He's pretty sure he has never been this turned on in his entire life, and abruptly it occurs to him that he's not going to last long enough to meet Tris' needs.

So, he shifts her back a little, giving him room to begin circling a fingertip over her sweet spot in between thrusts. In turn, she runs her hands through his hair, hanging on as she gasps, "It's okay, Tobias. Let yourself go. This time is about you."

But he shakes his head, never pausing in his ministrations. "It's no fun if you don't come, too." And it's true. There is nothing that gets him off more than pleasing Tris – than watching her face as she climaxes, and feeling her body tense around him, and seeing the way her back arches in the ecstasy that _he_ caused.

Maybe it's because she makes him feel so good that he can't help but want to return the favor. Or maybe it's that he loves treating her the way she deserves to be treated, after everything she's been through. Or maybe it's because it makes him feel so unlike his father. Regardless, he always wants it to be about _them_ , not just him.

Some part of her must realize that, because she doesn't argue anymore, instead focusing on the way they rock back and forth, moaning and gasping against each other until they finally reach their peaks, exploding together into something that is truly beyond description. She may only get one orgasm tonight, but it's an utterly fantastic one.

It takes them a while to regain the ability to move afterwards, and even longer to make themselves presentable so they can rejoin their friends, who have now combined into one party. Neither of them can stop grinning, or touching each other, for the rest of the evening, despite the catcalls and knowing jibes that the others send their way.

They're still practically glowing when the bartender passes by their table, apparently on her way to or from a break.

She pauses to greet Uriah and Marlene before cocking her head at Tobias as if trying to place him. "Four, right?" she asks after a moment, and he realizes that she must be the one who served him _that_ night – the one who made sure he went home with a friend instead of leaving him to his own drunken devices.

He nods awkwardly, and the bartender's gaze moves on to Tris, taking in their close positions and the ring on her finger. A wide smile forms on her face. "This must be your fiancée." At Tris' confused look, she adds, "I'm Lauren, one of the bartenders here. I served Four drinks a while back, when you two were having some kind of fight." There's an understanding look in her eyes. "It's nice to see that you worked everything out."

She gives Tris a gentle pat on the arm, genuine warmth in her expression. "I see a lot of heartbreak on this job, but not a lot of happy reconciliations, so you two just made my day."

The words lighten something inside Tobias –a residual knot of tension that he didn't know was left inside him. Abruptly, he remembers what Lauren said that night, that a friend of hers lost some good relationships because of a situation like Tris'. He knows how easily that could have happened to them, but it didn't – because Tris was brave enough to get them to face their demons together. Because of her, they ended up closer than ever instead of falling apart.

He grins as he wraps his arm around Tris, pulling her to him. "Yes, this is my incredible fiancée, Tris." He kisses her cheek. "Tris, Lauren is the one who called Zeke that night, and he then called Uriah to come get me." Meeting Lauren's eyes, he adds, "Thank you for that, by the way. You have no idea what it meant to me."

But Lauren just gives him a soft smile in return. "It's my job, Four." She pats his arm the way she did Tris'. "But I'm glad it helped. You two really are an adorable couple." With that, she takes her leave, the entire table staring after her for a moment.

"You left her a really good tip," Uriah comments, grinning slyly, "in case you were wondering. Marlene put it on your credit card while I dragged you to the car."

"Ah," Tobias mutters, "that would explain the bill." But truthfully, he can't complain. It would have been impossible to over-tip in that particular situation.

Tris laughs as she leans back into Tobias' arms. "You know, I have to say that I feel better now that I've met her. I always wondered a bit if the two of you flirted that night."

Tobias is confused by the giggle that goes around the women at the table. Marlene is the one who finally alleviates his curiosity. "Lauren is gay, in case you clueless guys missed it."

"Oh," Tobias answers as he snuggles into Tris' hair. "I can't say I care either way."

* * *

They're a big, happy group when they finally leave the bar some four hours after arriving, piling into a series of taxis to take them to their respective homes. Theirs drops Christina and Will off before taking Tris and Tobias home, and the two are having a hard time keeping their hands off each other by the time they reach their apartment building.

"So, how was your bachelor party?" Tris asks him mischievously as they walk down their hallway, nudging him companionably in the side.

"Incredible," he murmurs, trying to control the big, goofy smile that wants to take up permanent residence on his face. "But I should probably tell you…I had sex with the stripper."

She has to bite back her own grin. "Well, I have a confession, too. I totally screwed the hot guy who crashed my bachelorette party."

"Ah." He wraps his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. "Then I guess we're even."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> M1129 wrote a story in which Christina arranged for a stripper to give Tris lessons on how to do a strip tease at her bachelorette party, so that part of this story was inspired by hers. Thank you very much, M1129, for letting me borrow the idea!
> 
> The next chapter will be the last one. It will probably be more than a week before it's posted (sorry). In the meantime, please let me know what you thought of this chapter. Thanks!


	13. Chapter 13: Delightful Marriage Venue (DMV)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to review, favorite, and/or follow this story! Thank you also to the wonderful BarbaraK2U, who beta-read this chapter super-fast so I could post it before leaving on vacation. Otherwise, you would all have had to wait another week.
> 
> Anyway, this is the final chapter of this story. I hope you enjoy it!

**Chapter 13: Delightful Marriage Venue (DMV)**

Their wedding party gets more than a few strange looks as they gather in the waiting area of the DMV, slowly claiming a larger and larger space until they have enough room for the ceremony.

"What?" Amar asks a woman who stares at them with a vaguely irritated expression. "If _you_ wait here long enough, I'm sure you'll meet someone, too." Tobias can't help chuckling at the way the woman huffs before turning back to the announcement board, glancing at her ticket as if wondering just how long the waiting time really is.

Tris' brother, Caleb, shakes his head. "You two _really_ met here?" he mutters to Tobias.

"Yep." He grins. "Best day of my life." His eyes roam over their friends, all wearing nice suits and dresses, before he adds, "Well, before that, I mean. I've had even better days since then." He straightens his own tie. "Today, for example."

The slightly nervous correction draws a smile out of his soon-to-be-brother-in-law. "I'll take your word for it," Caleb comments. "Personally, it's hard to imagine comparing my wedding day to renewing my driver's license."

Tobias just shrugs, knowing that it's impossible to explain exactly how fond he is of that particular day. Realistically, he would have met Tris at some point no matter what, with both of them taking karate at the same gym and with Amar leaning toward introducing them, but that doesn't change how he feels. He wouldn't want to modify a single thing about that first day – or night.

His eyes catch movement as Will leads a balding, middle-aged man with a slightly frayed briefcase towards him, and he straightens eagerly. This must be the justice of the peace.

And sure enough, the man introduces himself cheerily, indicating that his name is Marvin and that he'll be conducting today's service. "Interesting choice of venue," he adds, quirking an eyebrow as he looks around. "It's certainly the first ceremony I've conducted here."

"We're a bit unusual," Tobias begins, but he loses the train of thought when Tris approaches and he suddenly becomes unable to notice anything except her. She's wearing a simple white dress and is carrying an understated bouquet of red roses, but he doesn't think she's ever looked more beautiful.

Perhaps it's the way her hair sits in its intricate bun, or the slight glimmer of blue from the earrings that dangle by her jaw, or the way her eyes are lit with joy as she fixes her gaze on his, but in that moment, she takes his breath away even more than usual.

_They're getting married._

He spent so much of his life feeling absolutely certain that he would never do this – that he would never _want_ to do it – and yet as he stares at his bride, he realizes that he's not even nervous. There's no room for that emotion when his chest is this full.

It doesn't take long to get the ceremony started. The bride and groom stand side-by-side, their hands linked, as Marvin talks about the meaning of marriage and has Tobias recite the standard vows. But in reality, Tobias is too lost in Tris' presence to catch most of the words that he repeats. For all he knows, he could be narrating a recipe for beef stew instead of promising to be a loving and faithful husband until death do them part.

It's not until Marvin gives him the opportunity to add something that Tobias manages to focus again.

"Tris," he begins, "it's ironic that we met while waiting here, since we've never been good at waiting for anything else with each other." There's a chuckle from their watching friends.

"It took me a long time to figure out exactly why that is." His gaze claims hers with an intensity that is uniquely theirs. "But I finally realized that it's because I'd already spent my whole life waiting for you, and I wasn't going to waste another moment of it without you."

He lifts her hand to his mouth, pressing a kiss to it. "Before you, I had resigned myself to thinking that my life was as good as it was going to get. That love and marriage and happiness and…all of it…weren't real. Or if they were, they were only for other people, not for me."

A tender smile touches his face. "I've never been so glad to be wrong."

A small sound emerges from Tris, and he sees the spark of tears in her eyes despite the way her lips lift to match his. His voice is deep as he adds, "I can't wait to spend every day of the rest of my life with you, Tris. And I look forward to every moment of _not_ waiting still to come."

Apparently, she takes the message to heart, because she stands on tiptoe, pulling his lips to hers and kissing him deeply, clearly not caring that the kiss usually takes place later in the ceremony. When they finally draw apart, she glances briefly at Marvin before beginning her own custom vows, not even giving him a chance to have her recite the standard ones first.

"Tobias, I had given up on many things in life before I met you. I had come to think that love and trust and respect were just empty words. That I would never find someone I could truly share my life with the way my parents did with each other."

She blinks away the tears. "But even from the very beginning, some part of me knew that you were different." Her hand squeezes his. "We didn't meet until the day we were both here, but before that, I used to watch you after karate every chance I got. And it wasn't just because you're drop-dead gorgeous…."

Her lips twitch, the same way his do at her words. "It was because I recognized something in you, something that drew me to you and made me feel like you were the one person in the world I most needed to meet."

Emotion fills her eyes. "It took me a while to understand what it was, but I now realize that it's goodness. You are a good man, Tobias, all the way to your core. You are smart, and brave, and giving, and loving, and honest. You are the most worthwhile person I know. The _best_ person I know." She traces his cheek lovingly. "And I still can't believe that I'm lucky enough to be marrying you."

If she was planning to add anything else, it disappears in that moment, because suddenly Tobias' lips are on hers, and his arms are around her, and he's lifting her off the floor as he kisses her with a passion that is debatably appropriate in a room full of strangers.

After spending so much of his life feeling worthless and broken and afraid, there are no words for how much Tris' vows mean to him – how much it means to have the woman he loves tell him that he's the opposite of all that.

It's not until Caleb clears his throat very loudly that Tobias reluctantly sets Tris back on the floor.

"Um," Marvin says, trying to gather their attention again, "we do have to finish the vows, you know."

A bubble of laughter comes from their assembled audience – and from the crowd behind them. Apparently, everyone within eyesight is watching them now.

But Tobias doesn't care. He can't take his eyes off his bride, and he certainly can't remove the grin from his face. As far as he is concerned, the rest of the world doesn't matter in the slightest right now.

Still, he manages to hold his enthusiasm in check long enough to complete the ceremony and to sign the papers that make everything official – and to thank Marvin – before he finds himself crouching the way he did last year, when he and Tris met.

"Climb on," he says with a smirk. The others look at them like they're nuts, and Christina steps forward to intervene, squeaking something about ruining the dress, but Tris doesn't even hesitate. Tossing her bouquet to Marlene, she climbs onto her husband's shoulders, and he carries her through the room, both of them laughing with pure and utter joy as the crowd around them cheers and as Zeke and Uriah race ahead of them, whooping and crowing.

"I'm so glad I grabbed your number the first time we were here," Tobias calls to Tris as they pass by the machine that dispensed their tickets that fateful day.

Tris' chuckle carries to his ears. "That's not entirely true, you know." The amusement makes Tobias pause, looking up at her questioningly. "I'd been trying to get across the room for ten minutes when you came waltzing by, and I was annoyed that everyone made room for you and not me…." She shrugs. "So, I followed in your wake and then tried to grab a number before you could." Her lips twitch. "It seemed only fair."

For a second, he just stares. "Let me make sure I have this straight," he finally says, his mouth puckering from the effort not to laugh. "The first words you ever spoke to me were a lie?"

She's far less successful at suppressing her grin. "More of an exaggeration." Leaning down to kiss him on the top of the head, she adds, "And I'd have given it back to you if it was the last number called for the day."

"Mmm." He shifts his weight, pulling her abruptly down so she's face-to-face with him, though hers is upside down. "I bet you would have." He nuzzles his nose against hers. "But I still think you owe me one."

She smirks as their lips meet in a long, deep kiss. "I'm pretty sure we can work that out, Tobias."

The promise makes his smile break through. "I will definitely hold you to that, Mrs. Forrester."

And as she sits back up, her hands gripping his so they can each feel the other's wedding ring, he can't help but compare how he feels today with the last time they left this building together. He was nervous then, but filled with hope at the same time. Today, there's more of that emotion than ever, but it's mixed with a certainty that is more absolute than he's ever felt.

No matter what else comes up in their lives, and no matter how much other people try to bring them down, none of it matters. He and Tris will be there for each other, and as long as that is the case, life will always – _always_ – turn out right.

__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please take a moment to let me know what you thought of this chapter - and the story in general. Also, if you haven't read my other stories, please give them a try. Thank you for all of the support you've given me as I've written!


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